Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Comfort Food

It's been a busy but sunshiney day, and sunshine usually makes everything better. I'm about over this cold weather, though!! I'm ready for spring!

I had a momentary freak out today because our oral history project at Bryant High School begins in less than a week. We've got most of our stuff ready to go--now it's just time to wait. I have such high hopes for this project, which started when I told Dr. D-W that I wanted to "teach kids how to not suck at writing." She mentioned in passing that she'd always wanted to start a writing or literacy program for high school students, and I said, "Okay, let's do it!" That's all it took; I said I'd help, she got the grant money, and here we are, a year later, ready to go.

We will be teaching three classes at Bryant about oral history (basically interviewing people and recording their stories, some ordinary and mundance, some surprisingly interesting) and helping them produce oral history projects about civic leaders, specific decades, and the Vietnam era (a different topic in each class). The teacher in me is eager to get started and see what great work the kids will come up with. The planner in me gets a little freaked out when we're pushing the deadline limits. But all the groups came through today, and we're ready to roll!!

A great day was topped off by a great dinner with fabulous friends. I love these people, my Wesley peeps. We had a huge pot of Alicia's *awesome* chili, cornbread muffins (made by moi...courtesy of Jiffy), and super cute elephant brownies from Lauren. How wonderful to have a group of friends who loves to cook AND eat. One of the things I will miss most about college is all of our impromptu dinners and late-night chats, even if we get into (fake) heated arguments about who's the worst friend ever. Current leader is Alex, but she loves it!

A few photos from dessert time because by the time I realized I forgot to photograph our feast, it was gone!

Ali scooping ice cream with a plastic spoon: FAIL.
Lauren and Justin are so stinkin' cute!!

Ellyn and Alex show off their adorable elephant brownies.

Ali and I *love* the Tide--and brownies!


"You better put this all over the internet!" -Alex

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A weekend full o' love

I've always loved the idea of Valentine's Day. A single day devoted to lovin' sounds great. I love the cheesy Hallmark hype, the mylar balloons, the ginormous teddy bears. Sure, it all seems excessive any other day of the year, but on February 14th, it's all good. But with no boyfriend, Valetine's Day can be a downer. Luckily, I've had the best Valentinefor the past four years, one of my very best friends, Alicia. Neither of us has been dating on Valentine's, so we've always done something together. Usually we take up two seats and a table at a restaurant and giggle about the mushy, lovesick couple who can't have either. Once both of us fall in love with our Prince Charmings, we'll look back and laugh about our (slight) bitterness, but for now, I couldn't ask for a better friend to wish a Happy Heart Day.

This year Alicia and I went to see the matinee showing of the star-studded Valentine's Day on Saturday. The verdict: I loved the cheesy predictability; Alicia "didn't love it." But we had fun! Then we hit up the uber swanky Jason's Deli (it sounds more chic if you say it with a French accent) for a quick "lupper." It was so great to hang out with my BFF because she's leaving soon for her nursing preceptorship in Huntsville, at which time I will "cry every day of my life." We're all trying guilt her into failing school and staying in Huntsville. Unfortunately, Alicia is super smart and has a great opportunity in Huntsville. I'm so proud of her even though I will miss her SO much!! Not too long before we all have big girl jobs and will be back in Huntsville/Nashville (fingers crossed for Alicia's Vanderbilt interview), close to each other.

On the real Valentine's Day, I went to church with the crew and then Mo, J, Susan, John Adam, Philip and I went to lunch--just a regular old Sunday. I love Sundays because I get to see some of my favorite people after we've all had long work/school weeks! There's nothing better than sitting around enjoying a meal and laughing with good friends. We all looked pretty sharp!


Mr. and Mrs. Page's first Valetine's Day as a married couple!


The girls!



Morgan and Jeremy (Mo and J) lookin' schnazzy!

Heather ran her Mercedes-Benz half marathon on Sunday morning, so she and JK got back to Tuscaloosa in time for all of us to get together for dinner at Susan and John Adam's. We had a homemade Mexican feast, and then we had more time to hang out. Heather's big kid job is in Huntsville, but since she's got a sweet government gig, she had Presidents Day off and could spend the weekend with us. I love having all my "peeps" in Tuscaloosa at once!!






Revamped for 2010!

Wild Magnolia Waiting has undergone a makeover for 2010, and this magnolia is promising to keep up with my blog this time! I had great intentions to blog my whole senior year, and then a little thing called Methods got in the way. Last semester, arguably the most difficult semester in an education major's college career, I was taking a class on top of Methods and trying to keep up with the ever growing stack of reading.

This semester, however, I feel like I have some breathing room. I'm taking 12 hours of classes--albeit challenging classes--and have a bit of time to keep myself sane. I'm back in the gym for the first time in a year (slacked off when I had mono and didn't feel "normal" for months afterward) and am enjoying what little time I have left with some of my college friends. Since I'm trying to soak up the last year before I graduate, what better place to document it all but here?

I'm back!