Girls Go to College to Get More Knowledge

Boy oh boy, I have been one busy little chicky! I knew October would be a hard month (remember my post from last year?) school wise, but between my harder classes, better social life, and more responsibilities around here, life has been crazy!

Just so everyone gets the idea, I have been writing a 5-8 page essay every week for the past month or two. Since the beginning of school, I have written over 80 pages of essays. 80 pages! Can you believe it?! I need to be writing a book or something! I have actually been thinking about compiling my essays into some sort of portfolio format because there is some really great info there. I have read a lot of great books this semester, and I am actually very sad for it all to be coming to a close. :(

Back to the whole school thing. So in addition to writing all these essays, I have been taking TONS of exams. My goal for this semester is just to get a 3.5 (right now I have a 3.69 cumulative). My classes are very hard, and a 3.5 would mean I had 9 credits at an A level, and the other 9 at a B level. I have heard through the grapevine that if you get on the honor roll each semester during your time at WSU, you get special honors at graduation and a special tassel thing. Since I will do about anything for anything, I am really trying hard to get it! I think it is doable too, because this will probably be my hardest semester! After this, I won't have as many papers and books to read all the time :)

Part of October's festivities included Halloween! I was really excited to be able to go out with the boyfriend and parrrtayee! For the first time ever, I made the costumes (usually my mom would spend hours on our costumes growing up, so now it was my turn!). Derek was a really good sport and said that we could do pretty much anything, so we decided he would be a matador and I would be a sugar skull girl! We went together pretty darn well :)

For Derek's costume, I went to goodwill and found a ladies jacket from the 80s. I thought it was kinda military style or something, and I knew I would be able to change the cut of it a bit to work for him, so it was a great $5 choice :)

After a trip to the fabric store, buying a glue gun, and a couple hours, I was able to take that jacket into a MATADOR FIESTAAA

I had also put together some red sashes and a little tie for him, and we were ready to go! I wanted to take step by step pictures for my face make up, but I got sort of a late start so all you have is the after. We had an awesome time and everyone LOVED our costumes!

So fa this month, things have been pretty uneventful (I probably shouldn't say that...knock on wood)... we did have our first REAL snow of the season though! I am sure there will be snow pictures to come, so I will spare you that this time. In other news, plans for thanksgiving have really been coming along! The Derek's family does not have many relatives in the area (at least when compared with the thanksgivings I grew up with!!!), but they are inviting some friends and the missionaries, so its going to be a bumpin' place! The ladies also invited me to cook with them Thanksgiving, so I am very excited! It will be fun to learn their recipes as well as bring my own. After all, what is Thanksgiving without Mom's pomegranate jello?! I am trying to think of any other recipes that I like (any suggestions are also welcome!).

Last but not least, Derek and I have been working out to get ready for our 1/2 Iron in June! Honestly, I didn't work out today (shame on me, I will have to make up for it tomorrow!), but we had been doing really well. I am swimming every morning from about 6-7:30 am until Derek leaves for work, then I have school, and then I go back to the gym for my running or cycling workout. Since my shinsplints have healed I have really been having a great time back at the gym. It is extremely frustrating to not be putting in the distances I once was so effortlessly, but I know that, just like before, if I train I can run 8 miles routinely again. That's what I want! Tomorrow isn't a swimming day, but I think I will still go to the gym early to get my workout in before class....easier said than done...

Well, that is about it for now! Hopefully I will be able to post a bit more frequently now that midterms are over! <3 div="div">