Currently Reading Facing Autism: Giving Parents Reasons for Hope and Guidance for Help By Lynn M. Hamilton see related

So, since I haven't posted in like 2 months, I thought I'd give a brief update of the happenings in my life! I'm doing my school psychology internship at Xenia Community Schools this year. Nothing much has happened so far...I've mostly been observing meetings, observing some kids in their natural environments (classrooms and playground), and typing up some reports. I haven't had much direct kid contact, but I think that will change soon once I start to work on my assignments. I just hope I like being a school psychologist...I don't really want to go back to school right away, even though I kinda feel like I'll eventually want to change directions and get a PhD in health psychology...or maybe I'll just become a missionary. I don't know...argh...I thought I'd know by now exactly what I want to be when I grow up...but maybe there never is a "perfect job".

Then again, maybe I should just become a baker...I would love to do that as a job! Sometimes baking seems stressful, even though I enjoy it...I think that's only because it takes a lot of time and I don't have all the equipment I'd like to have...if only I was a professional! I would love to sell baked goods...especially muffins! I'm up to Course II in my cake decorating classes...it's fun! We're learning to work with Royal Icing, the kind that harden into sugar flowers that are often seen on wedding cakes and I learned how to make buttercream roses in the first course...I can't wait to work with gum paste!

The only thing I don't like about my job right now is having to wake up at 6:00 am...bleh. I haven't gotten very good at going to sleep earlier either...going to sleep before 11:00 seems too early! I wish I could work at 9:00 instead of 7:30...that would be much easier.

Anyway, not much else is new...the Aullwood Apple Festival is next Saturday...yay! It's my favorite festival of the year! I'm excited. There's also lots of wedding stuff happening in October. I'm going to one wedding and I'm in one wedding. I'm also going to be the maid of honor in my sister's wedding next June, which is exciting! I've never been a maid of honor and I'm excited to get to plan stuff for my sister. But...you know what they say, "3 times a bridesmaid, never a bride"...crap...I guess I'm doomed because my sister's wedding makes 4...sigh...oh well...nothing I can do about it at the moment.

Currently Reading The Oath By Frank Peretti see related

So, I'm back from Wisconsin! Apparantly, Door County (which sits on Green Bay) isn't in the cheese part of the state, it's in the cherry part of the state. Who knew Wisconsin was known for cherries? Anyhoo, so that means I didn't get to tour any cheese factories or go into all-cheese stores, but I did drink some cherry soda made from Door County cherries, and I bought some cherry fudge, some cherry cheesecake spread mix, and some cherry-coated popcorn (which is delicious, by the way). The vacation was pretty fun and if you look below, I'll take you on a little tour of Wisconsin!

 I decided at the last moment to listen to the bribes of Christine and Christy and have purchased a round-trip ticket to New York City to visit my long-lost, Jewish-haired friend Christy. I'll be there for 5 whole days (one of which will be spent on the beach somewhere on the Jersey shore) and I am very excited! Plus, Christy doesn't have a show right now, so Christine and I will get to hang out with her a whole bunch! : ) (Although, I'm sure Christy would like to have a show, it's very convenient for our visit!)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix comes out on Wednesday! I'm excited, but I'm not someone who wants to see it at 12:01 on Wednesday morning...I think I'm going to wait until sometime on Thursday. I also just purchased my voucher for the 7th Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which comes out on the 21st...now for that, I'm definitely going to be waiting in line to get my book at 12:01 on Saturday morning!

This is the place we stayed!

A majestic-looking seagull.

This is a view of the coast from a 250 ft. tower in a state park.

We played Pirate Golf. Arrrr, it was fun.

I took lots of sky/sunset pics while we waited for fireworks on the 4th. In this one, I captured a rainbow!

This is one of my favorites.

More sunset.

This is another of my favorites.

My sister and I got bored waiting for fireworks and started taking pictures of each other.

Me!

Another water view.

The harbor of Washington Island. We took the ferry here and went on a guided tour.

We stopped by a farm on the trolley tour and they had some very cute baby goats!

They also had a whole bunch of ostriches! Aren't they funny looking?!

Ostrich #2.

This is a real ostrich egg! Isn't it huge?

Me and my sister in front of a real Norwegian house, built in Norway and brought here. The first people who settled this area (besides the Indians) were from Norway.

The Norwegian houses all have grass on the roofs and little ramps so that goats can climb on top and eat the grass, and trust me, they definitely do climb up there!

Turn your heads sideways for this one! My sister and I are on a smooth-rock limestone beach on Washington Island. There are other 4 other beaches that are made of this rock in the world! Unfortunately, due to that fact, I did not get to keep the rock in my hand.

Currently Reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) By J. K. Rowling see related

Ah, so. Thesis data collection is over! Yay! Now I just have to motivate myself to analyze the data...argh...I should really do that today.

Believe it or not, but I only have 3 weeks left of my summer classes! Woo-hoo! I just need to practice giving some achievement and behavioral tests to my cousins and write-up the results, do one power point presentation, and finish one other minimal project, and then no more classes!

I finally have curtains hanging up in my bedroom, I have a nightstand now, and I hung up 3 more pictures. I've been productive!

I'm going to try out a new recipe today: Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies. I've been wanting to try them for awhile, so I figured I can test them out on the guys at band practice tonight.

Eh, I thought I had more to say, but I guess not. More later!

Sarah's Extremely Long List of Projects Update: I have finally purchased two cloth, sage-colored shades and two curtain rods for my bedroom. I am hoping to get those and my pictures hung up on Saturday and get my bike hook drilled. Tomorrow my goal is to organize my school papers and buy something to organize my jewelry with, and maybe actually do the organizing. Perhaps if I'm really ambitious, I'll gather up all my clothes that I need to donate...although, I might need help with that...some of the clothes that I don't wear, I'm still kinda attached to...so, I might need a friend to help me who won't let me keep them. (Any volunteers?! ) As you can see, I'm hoping to be well through my May to-do list after this weekend.

Also this weekend: The Miami Valley Women's Center Walk 4 Life is Saturday at 9:00...I think I'm probably going to do it...I mean, it won't take very long, it'll probably be over by 11:00 and it's for a good cause...plus there is exercise involved...I just need some more sponsors...

One more week of preschool thesis stuff! Yay! : ) (Although, I will miss the kids...they're cute).

Wisconsin: The Cheese State. Yep, that's where I'm going with my family for summer vacation. Door County, which is on Green Bay, to be exact. Wisconsin isn't exactly a state you'd think of when you hear "summer", but I think it'll be nice (not humid for sure), and I do like cheese.

Look for the Towhee interview in the Dayton Daily News' Go! section tomorrow! Yay!