Sunday, September 30, 2012

The weekend is ending, and although I am bummed, I did get a lot done this weekend. I just finished up copying all of my Christmas solos for my students, and writing their parents letters about our Christmas recital. I got the date and time scheduled with my church, and now I just have to get the kids to learn their songs.
So my pastor found some old mariner superstitions and told us some at church this morning. Unfortunately, if you are going on a sea voyage and you meet a red head that is bad luck; and yes, my pastor singled me out about my red hair. Oh well, I don't go on sea voyages like ever, so I suppose I am not causing myself 'bad luck'.
Happy almost Monday!!!
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
*here is a pic of my hair today, I liked it, so I took a pic. :)

Saturday, September 29, 2012

So after my crazy stressful day yesterday I was really looking forward to a relaxing day today. I did relax a bit, and I did get to sleep in. I went out to breakfast with my sister, grandma and the lady we house/dog sat for; and I had an amazing omelet. Yum!
 
I also went to a jewelry party this afternoon, and that was fun. I mean really, who could not love jewelry????  I did have to go into work today for a staff meeting, but it was totally relaxed and non stressful. Now I get to relax and get caught up on things for next week, while watching television. I think I am going to go get some ice cream soon; it sounds very good right about now........
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
 
*this is one of the necklaces I have, and I love it!

Friday, September 28, 2012

I HAVE A DRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!! So I wasn't planning on getting a dress so soon, but things usually don't go as planned. So I called David's Bridal today to set up an appointment for October and they told me that the sale was finishing soon, and I would have to get in today or tomorrow. Yikes! I was so stressed and upset, but I called my mom, and of course, she helped me calm down, and we made an appointment for tonight. So I went in and bought my dress.
 
They have this weird tradition, kind of like "Say Yes To The Dress", but they have the bride close her eyes, make a wish, and ring a bell. It was cute, but somewhat embarrassing as well. Anyway, I have my dress, and when we nail down the date I just have to take it in a couple months before and get the alterations done.
 
I tried to go swimming tonight and I lasted like 15 minutes. It was so cold!!!! So not much swimming and relaxing by the pool today, but I did get my dress, so that was a bonus.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

I found the stash of Christmas music today at work, and I had a field day. I bought some books with easy Christmas songs for my students, and I played some of the advanced piano solos. I just LOVE Christmas!!!!!!
 
So I really enjoyed my short school day, even though I had a quiz. The quiz wasn't that bad, but I did miss some things that I knew, and just blanked out on. Oh well. So tomorrow I get to sleep in and I am so excited! I plan on relaxing pool side, if it is warm enough, and chilling with my sis.
 
So I am watching Snow White and the Huntsman and surprisingly it is really good. So far, at least; we'll see what happens.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Yum! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is amazing. I am relaxing watching television and eating ice cream. Life is good!
 
 Today was busy, but not as busy as usual. I didn't have my own personal lessons today, so I got a break between school and teaching piano. I have started picking Christmas piano solos for my students and I started some of them today. I have to start digging for some more songs because I don't want them all to have the same ones. Hopefully I'll find some soon!
 
Tomorrow is my short day at school, and then I am done for the weekend. Unfortunately, I do have a test tomorrow, so that is kind of a bummer. Oh, well; I am looking forward to the weekend.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

So here I am at work, and I am writing my post for the day. It has been really quiet, and I don't have anything to do so here I am. I love working at a music store, there are so many things I learn every day.

Oh wow! Now that I say it isn't busy, it gets extremely busy, and the phone rings every time I put it down. Hopefully, I will have a small space of quiet before another rush hits. 

I love listening to all the little kids coming in for their piano lessons. They never care about who is watching them play and if they mess up or not. They just love to play, and you can see the joy on their faces. :)

Great news, I am getting out of school early on Thursday and I don't even have to go in on Friday! WHOOOO! Although, I still have work on Thursday night, I will have time to get things done at home before I go in. I am going to have a relaxing weekend hanging with friends and family, and hopefully get some swimming in.

Well, I should probably catch up on some of my homework, and study for my quiz on Thursday.

Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.

Monday, September 24, 2012

So, the relaxing weekend is over and the work has begun. Had a good day yesterday at church. I hung out with the teens after service; we played wii games, ping pong, uno, and ate food. It was great!!!! I even video taped us being stupid and commentating on the ping pong games. :)
 
So today was school, piano lessons, and then work; but all in all it was a good day and not very stressful. I did meet my fam. for a game of bowling after work, but we skipped DQ tonight because it is around forty degrees here. BRRRRRRR. So now I am home and I will eat ice cream in my pj's and comfy on the couch. Sweet, sweet warmth!
 
Hope you are staying warm wherever you may be, because there is nothing worse than being cold; especially when you are craving ice cream.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Saturday, September 22, 2012

So........ I had an amazing day today! I went to David's Bridal and tried on the dress that I found online. I absolutely LOVED it; in fact, I am going to get it very soon. I may not have a date, but this dress is on sale, and possible going to disappear, so I have a very important decision to make in the next week. I am sooooo excited, but nervous at the same time. :)
 
So I am house/dog sitting now and I am so relaxed and chill. I think it is just because I didn't have work or school today. :) The stress will come back tomorrow I'm sure, but for now, I am enjoying today.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Batter Up! So the game we played today for collegiate, which was the game that got rained out last week, was........... Wacky Ball. Now, there were some twists on the original game. Wacky Ball is a form of kickball meets baseball in which the pitcher, who has a big plastic ball, either throws the ball to the batter/kicker or rolls it on the ground. The person up to bat has to either kick it if it is rolled or hit it with a plastic bat if it is thrown. Now, I'm sure you realized that a big plastic ball is very unpredictable, and that is totally true. The unpredictability of the ball made the game even more fun; you never knew where the ball would go, and you couldn't really throw it because it would float off course with the wind. Anyways, back to the game, the twist we threw on the game was quarters. Both the pitcher and the person at bat had to flip a quarter; if the pitcher flipped heads or tails that would tell him if he needed to throw the ball or roll it. If the batter flipped heads, he ran to first base like normal and would continue around, but if the quarter landed on tails, he would run to third base making it the new first base. OK, it really isn't that confusing when you think about it, but you have to pay attention to the person batting, because if you are on normal first base, and the person has flipped tails and starts running to third, your base has become third and you can run home and score. Whew! Yes, it is a lot to remember and pay attention to, but it was great once we got the hang of it, and best of all there were no serious injuries. Though somehow being hit with a big plastic ball popped a blood vessel in my arm. Don't really know how that is possible, because it is very soft and doesn't hurt, but oh well, I will survive.
 
Busy day tomorrow, I think. I have to find out from a parent of one of my piano students if my other student's parents gave her the money I need for their books. If they gave her money, I need to go to my work, on my day off, and get books. Their lessons are on Monday and I don't work until that night, so I was trying to get the books before hand. My mom also my take me out to David's Bridal to look at a dress I like. Now, it isn't serious looking, or buying time yet, trust me I will let you know. I am just trying to see if I like this dress as much as I did online. I also plan to loose a little weight before I need a dress, so I am not buying anything yet.
 
My sister and I also start house/dog sitting tomorrow, so after my errands, I will be going out to the house. She went early tonight, but I obviously had things to do tomorrow, so I am waiting.
 
So little time, so much to do........
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
*here's to hoping I don't get strep throat; it has been going around and my throat started to hurt today. Yikes! 
 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Here comes the weekend!!!! Work and school were great today, but everyone seems to be getting strep throat.:( I'm trying to stay away from people, and not let anyone breathe on me. Hopefully, I will not get sick.
 
I feel not as stressed as I have been; maybe because the weekend is coming and I don't have as much to do. I only have a little homework left to do, and tomorrow I only have bells. :) If it doesn't rain, we will be having an activity tomorrow, but there is a fifty percent chance that it will rain, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up. We may go bowling if it rains, and that would be pretty awesome. I know I won't beat everyone even though I play more than most, I usually play for fun, and not to win, so my technique isn't amazing or anything.
 
Well, I better get moving, and get some shut-eye. Lots to do tomorrow, and lots to get ready for house/dog sitting next week. Hello Pool!!!! Here's wishing for warm weather.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Exhaustion is setting in, and even though I had an amazing double fudge cookie dough blizzard, I am fading quickly. I finally finished my homework for tomorrow, but I still have a ton to do over the weekend. I also finished all of my memorizing for English today! No more, no more. Now I just have diagrams, which I actually like.
 
Sleep is calling.............
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
*FYI- this really does work, I did it tonight and nothing spilled!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I am so behind in everything I need twenty-four hours of free time while the world is frozen an does nothing. Wouldn't that be something........ the whole world suspended in time while I caught up on school work, cleaned my room, did my laundry, and practiced my piano lessons. Yep, that would be amazing. Though knowing how tired I've been, I may spend the majority of that twenty-four hour time period sleeping..........
 
OK, so I'm not THAT far behind. I did my memorization for English, and my homework as well. I do have some more homework and studying for other classes on Thursday and next Monday. Seriously though, I haven't looked at my piano lessons since my last lesson. The plan is to practice tomorrow in my free time, which is only like an hour if I can find a piano that isn't being used. I also need to transpose a song for Sunday morning service, and pack for house sitting next week. The good news is that I did get to see my boyfriend tonight! YEAH!!!! That always helps when I am feeling down. :)
 
Full day ahead tomorrow, and the rest of the week........
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
*this is how I feel!

Monday, September 17, 2012

I'm back to bowling!!!!!! Tonight is the first night in a while that I have been able to go bowling. Things kept getting in the way, or someone was out of town; but tonight it was on. Now, I didn't really do that well, and I only played one game, but I had fun and that is all that matters. I drove the the bowling alley straight from work, so I looked kind of dorky in my semi-dressy clothes with those awkward bowling alley rental shoes. Those shoes scare me so much some times; they look like clown shoes, and smell even worse than my own feet after being in high heels all day. Plus, they have no support at all, and they never match anything; they always have like four colors that don't even match each other.
 
Unfortunately, the second half of our bowling night went down quickly. We drove to Dairy Queen, and the sign in the window said closed; so we drove to McDonald's and tried to make the best of it. Honestly, you just can't beat dairy queen with a McFlurry; really, you can't. Anyways, so after we were done and headed home, we passed the DQ and the marquee said they were open until ten every night. Of course, by now it was ten thirty and it didn't matter, but my mom got so frustrated that the window sign said closed at 9:15 and  they didn't close until ten. Mom just decided that they didn't want us there so they turned the sign to closed quicker. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

My exhausting weekend is finally over; and now my equally exhausting week will begin. I am soooooo tired, and will probably go to bed early tonight. I got home from babysitting around 5pm yesterday, and I literally did nothing but sit for the rest of the night. My boyfriend came over and when he left at 10:30pm I went straight to bed. Today wasn't that bad, but I am still pretty tired.
 
I am meeting with some perspective new piano students tomorrow. Hopefully it will go well; some five year olds, and a four year old signed up for lessons, and I am not so sure about that. I have never started anyone under nine, but really I just want students to be able to read, and have somewhat of an attention span. So...... we'll see about those little ones, but I'm thinking the four year old is definitely not ready. Oh well.
 
My least favorite sport to watch on television is football, and it is football season. So, guess what my dad is watching right now? Yes, football. I think I am going to leave the room; I'm feeling a bit bored and sleepy. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Friday, September 14, 2012

Wow. I am now debating whether I want kids or not. Yes, I do want kids, but sometimes, some kids give me major headaches. I have been babysitting all day today, and I will be watching them through tomorrow afternoon. They aren't that bad really, just loud. They like to yell a lot, and get frustrated with each other very easily. We went to the mall for a couple hours today, and that helped, but some little girl was following them around the play area. When we got back to the house, we watched some movies and ate some snacks. Now I have sent them up to bed, and hopefully they will fall asleep soon. I finally have some peace and quiet. Ahhhh.....
 
So one of the movies we watched was Toy Story 3, and I had never seen it before. It was pretty good for being a third movie. Generally, movies don't have better sequels, and the series just gets worse and worse, but it wasn't that bad. I laughed a lot, and there were some pretty suspenseful parts, but all in all it was still a kid movie. Oh well, kid movies can be fun sometimes.
 
I am so exhausted, and hopefully will sleep well even though I am in another person's house. Hope your weekend isn't filled with babysitting. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

There is nothing better than pizza after a long day of school and work. Usually, we get pizza on Friday', but my mom and sister were at a cleaning job this evening, and I was at work, which means dad had to find his own dinner. Of course, he saved us leftovers, he is awesome like that! :)
 
I am so looking forward to the weekend. I don't have to work, or do school work until Monday! All the homework my teachers assigned today and yesterday I had already done, so I have no homework too. Pretty awesome stuff. :)
 
Tomorrow is another surprise collegiate activity. This time we are also dressing casual, but the catch is we have to wear shoes we can run in. Hmmmm....... I wonder. I love surprises! Well, to a certain extent and depending on why someone is surprising me. If my boyfriend is holding something he knows over my head for a couple weeks, that is not fun; but I love surprise gifts or visits from friends and family. Life wouldn't be life without surprises; life isn't supposed to go as planned. Just buckle up and enjoy the ride. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The week is half over! Whoooo! I have been so busy this week, but it has been good. School is going well, and work is okay too. Work is work, but I do love the pianos, so that is a plus. :) So, I haven't been doing much fun stuff, since I am so busy, but I am so enjoying the preparations for our Christmas concert at school. In case I haven't mentioned, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!
 
English hasn't been to bad either; I didn't test out, but I am already ahead of the homework that has been assigned. Hopefully I am doing okay with my composition just in case my English teacher reads this.........
 
Another long day tomorrow, and it should be fun. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Well, it's been a very long day, and I am very, very tired. I have been on the go since seven this morning, and I am sooooo happy to be sitting down. So, I am kind of stupid, and I accidentally hit myself with a frying pan. Don't ask me how it happened, because I don't even know. It was a freak thing I swear!
 
I heard some amazing Celtic harp music today. I love harps, and this was the first time I heard one in person. The music is so soothing that I almost feel asleep. :)
 
Well, tomorrow is my LOOOOOOONGG day, and I need some sleep!
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Happy, happy birthday to my awesome dad and amazing boyfriend!!!!!! They are the greatest and most important men in my life and I love them both. :)
 
So, we had our first choir outing today, and we did pretty well. One of the things all of us love about outings is the van ride. We love to pick random songs and jam out in the van a capella style. It's great!!!! We also love the food at outings; almost every time we go somewhere they feed us. I guess they think college kids starve themselves and only eat ramen noodles, but whatever the reason, we enjoy the food. Food, Fun and Friends.
 
I took my grammar test today, and I am not sure what I got yet. I think I did okay, but I know I didn't test out; I'm just really anxious to find out, and I will have to wait for Wednesday. UGHHHH! I don't like suspense.......
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
P.S. Another good thing about outings: goody bags, filled with....... CHOCOLATE!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

So another weekend has come to a close, and another work/school week is starting. It will be my second week of school, and I am sure I will get more homework than last week. Tomorrow, I have an English Grammar test that is supposed to see where you are at I guess....... hopefully I am not at kindergarten level. :) Our choir and ladies ensemble are also going on our first outing tomorrow night after just one practice. I am extremely nervous, because I have to sing in ladies and I don't know my part as well as I would like. I haven't been able to practice with the group because the day we got the song, I had to play parts for everyone else, then the accompaniment. My sister has volunteered to play for us tomorrow so I don't have to record the song to CD; and I have been trying to learn my part, but it is so much easier when you have all three parts singing so you can hear the blend. Hopefully, I don't mess up to badly tomorrow.
 
Hope you all had a great weekend and have a wonderful week.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Happy weekend!!! I hope you got to do something better than working. I unfortunately did have to work, but I am getting paid, so that helps. It is a long time to smile, answer phones, deal with angry customers, and remember everything you have learned. I still mess up, and I am sure I will even after I have more experience, but I enjoy the job and the money. I don't think Saturdays will be my normal choice from now on; I enjoy the evening times better. It may be because of the difference in hours, or just the time of day.
 
Anyways, I have no big plans this weekend. I have church tomorrow and I will get to see my boyfriend who turns 20 on Monday. Monday is also my dad's birthday, so it was pretty cool when we first started to hang out and his birthday is the same as my dad's. I won't tell you how old my dad is, but he is older than my boyfriend. :)
 
Hope you all have a good rest of your weekend!
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
*hahaha, thought this was cute!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Water Balloon Volleyball

So our secret surprise activity was........ Water Balloon Volleyball! It was amazing! We had some much fun even though there was only eleven that stayed to play. We took two wool blankets that were the same size and held on to the corners and sides; launching huge water balloons over a volleyball net. It was great, and of course, my team dominated. WHOO!
 
Anyways, my first week of school is officially over, and I have all of my homework done. I do have to take a test in English on Monday, but other than that all I have to do for now is learn my piano part to some songs and singing part to another. Our choir and ladies ensemble will be performing on Monday night with only one rehearsal practice. Yikes! We are pretty good at picking up a song and going for it though. It will be interesting to see if we do well......
 
I am pulling an extra shift tomorrow for a friend so he can sing in a wedding. It will be the longest shift I have ever done, so hopefully it goes well. My shift is  seven and a half hours; usually I only work five. It will also be my first Saturday working. Fun Stuff!
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
P.S. If you live in the United States, Dairy Queen is doing a BOGO for Blizzards. Buy one get another for $.99. Yummy.
 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

I survived! My long day actually wasn't that bad, so I was VERY happy. I am sooooo excited for Christmas though. My choir director at college gave us a Christmas piece today that is amazing; and the best part is I get to sing this one. It is an awesome version of Silent Night and it has a kind of jazzy feel to it. I just love, love, love it!!!!!!
 
So I just found out that our college collegiates are having a surprise activity tomorrow. All we have been told is to bring casual clothes and not wear white. I am very suspicious and curious right now, because the guy planning the activity is a crazy one. I'm sure it will be fun though; I can't wait. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

So, after my long day, 7:30 am until 5pm, I am pretty tired. I am not as stressed as I was yesterday, but I am trying to take it one day at a time.Tomorrow will be the real test because it will be my first full day of school with work afterwards. That means I will not be home from 8am until 8pm. Fun stuff!
 
I have a million and one things to do this week and I am pulling an extra shift on Saturday for a friend. I don't have any homework yet, but I am taking a test on Monday in English. If I pass with an A or A- I will have tested out. Even though I am studying and my actually have some of the test, only 5 people have ever tested out of this class in 21 years. That said, I think my chances are a little slim. Wish me luck! :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 
*this is what I have to study.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Back to School.

Wow, I don't know how I did this last year. I mean really, I don't know. Now, I do have more things going on this year, but it is RIDICULOUS how busy I am. My schedule barely gives me breathing room, much less relaxation and de-stressing time. On Mondays I have school from 7:30am until 12:05 pm; then I have work from 3pm until 8pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have school from 8:30am until 1:05pm; then I have work from 3pm until 8pm. Wednesdays I have school from 7:30am until 12:05pm; then I have a twenty minute drive to mine and my sister's piano lessons at 12:45pm. We get out of lessons at 1:45pm and then I have a thirty to forty minute drive to give piano lessons from 2:30pm until 5pm. Thankfully Fridays I only have one class at 7:30am, and then collegiate from 9am until 11am; Friday will be my 'get stuff done day'. Add homework, piano practice, and chores to that and you will have my busy life! I also hope to squeeze some time for my boyfriend in there, but he is also taking night classes and working nights. Oh yeah, and I need a new vehicle, so I am looking for that. Isn't life awesome????? Well..... I really don't think awesome is the right word, but I will say that life needs one more thing. CHOCOLATE.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Monday, September 3, 2012

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! Today we celebrate the work we all do, and some even had to work today. I didn't have to really work, but I did have to get up and walk in a parade. I had a blast in the parade, even though it was pretty hot outside. We hung out with some great friends all day, and ate way to much food. It was fun thought; every one's last day of freedom was well spent.
 
I am not looking forward to school tomorrow, but I am excited to see all my friends, and meet some new ones. I guess there are pros and cons to going back to school. Anyways, I am finishing up preparations now, so I don't have to get up quite as early. I already found my outfit, switched my purse, and am packing my school bag. Now, if only I could remember everything else I need to do......
 
My church is getting a new music director, so that will take away some things that I have to worry about. I have been doing all of the scheduling and such, and it will be nice to hand that over to someone else. Of course, I still have many other things to worry about, but this is one less.
 
Well, I'm off to get a good night's rest for school. Hope everyone had a great weekend. :)
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Reese's S'mores

Had an awesome day today! :) We had a bonfire after church with my boyfriend's family, and had s'mores. Have you ever had s'mores with Reese's instead of of Hershey's? It is amazing! Peanut butter and chocolate together are amazing, but when you add graham crakers and marshmallows, it gets even better. :)
 
Anyways, I have to get up early tomorrow for the parade, but I am sooo excited. Have a happy Labor Day.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.
 

Saturday, September 1, 2012

My day with my boyfriend and his family was great! We hung out outside and played with the puppies, who enjoy chewing on way to many things. We also watched some movies and ate amazing Papa Bella's pizza.
 
So my church is going to be in the Labor day parade in our area, and I get to be in it. :) We were also in the Memorial day parade, and it was awesome. I felt so important and special with hundreds of people waving at me! It really is an experience that I will never forget.
 
School starts on Tuesday, and I am sooooo not ready for summer to be over. It seems like it just started yesterday. :( Well, I guess I'll just have to get used to getting up early again; I hate 7:30 classes. Have a good rest of the weekend.
 
Lovin' Chocolate, Lovin' Life
April B.