Conflict of Interests

I have been in such a "nesting" mood lately! I want to go buy a cute little house and decorate the whole thing! Me and Natalie used to always talk about how when we were adults we would buy a little house together, but now that we are adults and at that place in our lives we have come to the realization that it would actually be a bad idea to do that. With our luck we would buy a house and then shortly after one of us would get married or decide to move away (like me moving to France or something wonderful like that), therefore leaving the other poor sister with a house to pay for and keep up on. So since I can't have a cute little house to decorate I keep wanting to do stuff to my room, but there is only so much you can do with, and to, one bedroom! I am slowly but surely finishing building my bookcase, which is one big project that I have had. And I want to buy a new chair for my room....I just have the big round, nylon chair that I've had since before college and it needs to go. It just doesn't quite fit with the Paris/French theme to my room. But I'm really poor right now because January through March are the slowest times at work. So on the one hand I am super nesty, wanting a place of my own, etc but on the other hand I am, as usual, wanting to run off on an adventure and go to all sorts of different places! These 2 things do NOT go hand in hand. One can't buy a house and then run off and travel the world, it is highly unpractical. Therefore I am choosing the second option and shall travel the world and enjoy my freedom and simply suffer through all of these decorating, renovating and redoing urges that I have. I am blaming Pinterest and HGTV for all of this. They inspire me and I have no outlet for all of that inspiration! Ugh!
I suppose that since I am single, free and wild that I should take advantage of that and see and do all that I can....and I fully intend on doing so. Hopefully Hawaii this year, Africa (a missions trip with my parents) next year, and who knows where else! And of course hopefully back to France sometime in the near future. This girl will not survive much longer without a trip back to France. I will simply wilt and wither away :( I need the following: to be surrounded by the beautiful sound of French floating through the air, to be walking through the winding streets of Montmarte, to be enjoying the amazing view of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, and catching a breezy lunch along the Seine River.
I have just come to the realization that my next weekend with nothing planned is the 2nd weekend in April. This is just depressing. How can a 23 year old have sooooo much happening in her life?! I feel like time is simply slipping away from me! How is it already February of 2013?! Why am I always sleep deprived?! And I don't get a legit vacation until August :P That seems like an eternity away. Oh well... I shall work hard and then do whatever I please when my vacation comes. I have this great dilemma when it comes to my money, since I am so poor right now I have to prioritize how to use my meager funds. I obviously have my rent, phone, car payment and car insurance every month but outside of that I must decide which of the following I should spend what little I have left on. There is 1) French classes (I am already missing this 10 week session due to lack of funds), 2) Rue's advanced training class (she's graduating from intermediate tomorrow night! *fingers crossed* lol!) or 3) glasses (I've had these ones for almost 2 1/2 years and therefore should have my eyes rechecked and my glasses are getting loose from getting knocked about by dogs at work all the time). I do have eye insurance so my check up would be covered. And I think my lenses and part of my frames would be covered as well. Soooo if I miss ANOTHER session of French classes then I could probably do Rue's advanced classes AND my glasses...but I REALLY hate missing French class :( And I can't take French during the summer because they switch the class schedule and then it doesn't fit with my work schedule. I feel like I get behind when I take time off and have to spend the first few weeks playing catch up. And I loose my comfort-ability speaking in French, and I resort back to my self-conscious, scaredy-cat ways (aka rarely say anything in French and have to have it all perfectly thought out in my mind before saying it out loud) I hate having to make these responsible decisions. I just need to be a millionaire :) I would simply use my tax returns for all of this but I'm putting most of the money on my car and keeping the rest to put towards my vacation. I'm hoping to have my 3 year car loan paid off in 2 years! Then I will have all that extra money every month to put towards other things! Such a glorious thought. Extra money, who doesn't like that!?

Life and Vacation

I am slowly coming to some realizations in my life. After getting back from France I knew that I was suppose to be at home, and that I am still suppose to be here, but I have been trying to figure out why....since I feel majorly purposeless and pointless. I have, over the last couple of months, realized a couple of reasons as to why I am still where I am. Granted I still kind of feel like I'm wandering in the dark, waiting for something to happen... Those reasons for me being where I am are that 1. the Lord knew that my sister would need someone to come on board and be co-music director with her (cue Abby), 2. there are relationships that have been made and previously established relationships that have grown in which I have been able to play a role in that persons life, have been there for them when they needed someone and if I had already moved on and gone somewhere else those things wouldn't have happened. There have been a lot of doors that have opened and good things that have happened. I may not still feel satisfied with my life or where I am at, but reminding myself of those reasons that God has kept me here has helped me to keep plugging on. I also know that I am suppose to be using this time to work on me. Which is something I've been procrastinating....no one likes looking at the flaws in themselves and having to correct them.... and who likes "working" on anything!? Lol! Sooooo I am beginning to attempt this whole "working on myself" project, which also includes me working on my relationship with Jesus. That parts not so bad....I mean who doesn't like getting closer to Jesus?! I am sure I have now made everyone think that I hate being in MN and want to be somewhere else...this isn't entirely true. I love Minnesota, I love my family, I love my church, I love my job, and I love my coworkers, but I'm not gonna lie if I could pack my bags and head to France right now I would. But don't worry I'd come back to visit often...or you could all just come visit me! I'm a fabulous tour guide when it comes to Paris :)

I'm on a mini vaca right now and I'm loving it! It's only a 2 day vacation...and today is day 2 :( But it has been fabulously relaxing. I did absolutely nothing yesterday and have done absolutely nothing today.. and it has been wonderful. I can't tell you the last time I did nothing. Who knew that driving 4 1/2 hours to the Dells  for just a couple days of nothing could be the best thing ever! Well nothing other than hanging out with the fam :) I do miss my puppies terribly though :( I dropped Rue off on Saturday night at a coworkers house and that night the house seemed so quiet and empty and Sadie seemed so confused. And then when we dropped Sadie off at the boarding facility on Sunday she tried to bolt for the door to get back out to the car, which is just heartbreaking. And I have had no furry friends to keep me warm and cuddle with at night!

But there was some great road trip moments with Natalie on the way down here... like me yelling at Dad, who was driving in front of me, from my car about his speed. And then there's my amazing car dancing skills and the way I just belt out my amazing Taylor Swift imitation to every T-Swift song that comes on the radio. I do this thing where I play air guitar, while driving, while singing like Taylor Swift...it's the safest thing I've ever done ;) Since I'm on vacation I have happily eaten whatever I want! I have eaten close to half a box of mini donuts, chocolate cake, ice cream, doritos, and all those other sorts of foods that I NEVER eat and are foreign substances to me. I have done 4 puzzles, watched National Geographic, HGTV, and Animal Planet while sitting in front of the fireplace, stayed up late and slept in, taken nice long hot showers (I love using other peoples hot water that I don't have to pay for!), and hung out with my fam and the Leonardsons...which is always a party and a good time! All in all it's been a successful mini vacation!

I can't wait to get my tax returns back so that I can stick most of them on my car....yaaayyyyy!! If I can pay on it like I want to (aka most of my tax returns this year and next year and paying a little extra throughout the year) I will hopefully have my 3 year loan paid off in 2 years. The rest of my tax returns will go towards the dream vacation that I am hoping to take this year. I am REALLY  hoping that everything will work out and I will get to go where I am planning on going...which I will not mention where so that if I don't go everyone won't have to suffer the huge disappointment with me... ok so I'm hoping and planning on going to Hawaii with Natalie...there I said it. Now if I don't go you can all hear my long lament about it. I've found several really good packages to go there and now would be the best time for me to do it... I'm single, have minimal bills and have vacation time to use! No better time than the present I say! Maybe next year I'll fulfill my biggest vacation dream and break the bank and go to New Zealand and from there go to Australia. That one is definitely not as probable...but I can dream right?! Ok I'm being forced to go play a game with the family...my blogging must come to an end.