The Best Time of Year

Is, without a doubt, fall.

I'm totally stealing Tara's post over at Dashing in Pearls, so go check out her post.

Here's what I love about fall.

THE CLOTHES:

Source: basiccravings.wordpress.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Source: middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com via Johanna on Pinterest

THE WEATHER

Source: pinkpersimmon.tumblr.com via Johanna on Pinterest

THE FOOD

Source: hautemamasfaves.tumblr.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Source: kevinandamanda.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Okay, so maybe that food isn't specific to fall, but I had to post it.

AND, of course....

Gilmore Girls Season One.  It was only the greatest show ever on television.

What about you?  What's your favorite season?  Are you ready for fall??

Lately a List

1.  Justin and I have been running.  We are still following the couch to 5k plan.  Currently we just started week 5.  I'm always nervous about a new week, and yet I'm always able to do run it.  Even if I am super slow.

2.  I have to find ways to inspire myself to keep running.  I liked this saying/picture:

3.  Grad school started this week with orientation.  Yesterday I had a short, hour long general orientation about the graduate school in the School of Ed.  Tomorrow I have orientation specific to Learning Sciences from 10-5.  I'm super excited/anxious about it all.  I'm very ready for classes to start.  Go Hoosiers! :)

4.  I am obsessed with Pinterest.  I mean, more than Facebook or Twitter or any other type of social media.  It is amazing, and you should all get on Pinterest if you aren't already, and you should follow me! (Johanna Keene)

That's me!  

What about you?  

Anxiety

Well, I'm writing this on my iPad using my awesome new keyboard that I just got for school! It's super cool, and it makes my iPad like a laptop, which is so much more useful for me. I just thought I'd brag for a second. However, that being said, I don't know how to put pictures on my blog from my iPad, so unfortunately this post won't have pictures. :( But it is more of a serious post, so perhaps pictures aren't necessary.

Lately, I've been super anxious about school starting. For those of you who don't know, I've taught fourth grade for the past four years now. Pretty fun stuff. However, the last few years I've felt more and more restless in teaching, and I realized that I needed a change. After a lot of prayer and discussion I decided to go back to school for a master's degree. So, this year, I am going to be a full-time student and a part-time teacher. I'll be taking 12 hours (eek!) and working at my previous school for 15 hours a week.

While I am so excited about graduate school, and I know that going back is the right choice, I am very worried. I worry about the silliest things too. I'm paranoid about missing orientation, not knowing where to park, what to wear, impressing people, getting my student ID, getting my parking pass, and on and on and on and on...

I know that this is ridiculous. I know that I'm freaking out about nothing. I know that going back to school will be difficult, but not nearly as difficult as I am thinking it will be. And really, it all comes down to pride.

I'm concerned about all of these things because of me. I want to do well, I want to be impressive, I want to be well liked, I want to be remembered. Are you seeing a theme here? It's all about ME. And that is a problem. It needs to be all about God. I should desire to do well so that GOD gets the glory, not me. I have to trust Him and keep His glory the center of everything. Only then will I have the peace that passes all understanding.

So that's where I'm at. Trying to keep anxiety at bay, and loving God more and more every day.

Maybe I should pursue my master's in poetry...

Just kidding.

Your turn!
- Do you ever feel anxious and worried? What do you worry about?

- HOW DO YOU COPE?

Fill in the Blank Friday

Well, I haven't blogged in awhile... my apologies.  I haven't had a ton to say, and I've been super anxious about school, and therefore, have left you all hanging in suspense of what is going on in my life!!  I know- it was a terrible thing to do, and I'm so sorry.

So, today, I'm going to do Fill in the blank Friday!

Linking up with Tara!

1. My idea of pure perfection is Sugarbrown's chai tea latte and a good book.

2. Communication/Organization makes the world go 'round.

3. If it weren't for lack of space and money I'd probably have over 1,000 purses.

4.  Bloggers are so fun!  I need more blogs to follow.

5. If I had $9 I'd buy you Essie mochacino nail polish.

6. I'm glad it's Friday because I love lazy weekends!

7. Something I'm excited about is going to IU!

What are some of your blanks?

What are you doing this weekend?

What are your favorite blogs?

Vacation Part Two

So after being in Red River, NM for a week Justin, his family, and I all drove back to Lubbock.  We were only in Lubbock for a night, but we definitely made sure to get some Rosa's!  Oh it was delicious and so worth it.

The next morning Justin had to fly back to Indiana for work, so I was on my own.  I drove to Dallas to spend some time with my family.  It was great- I absolutely love my family so it was really nice to spend some time with them.

After a few days I drove to Midland for Stephanie Munsell's wedding!  It was so fun.  Everything went so smoothly, and she looked stunning.

I got there on Thursday, and we had Stephanie's lingerie shower and bachelorette party.  It was a blast!  I am good friends with most of the other bridesmaids, so it was super fun to see all of them and catch up.

Friday we got our nails done, hung out, and then had the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  It was a very fun, relaxing day.

Saturday was THE DAY.  The wedding day!  We got our hair done, hung out at the church, ate some lunch, did our make-up, and then walked down the aisle.  The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and so God honoring.  Stephanie and Ryan have such a love and passion for the Lord, and it was great to see that reflected in the ceremony.  I could see Ryan throughout the ceremony, and he was just so focused and serious, yet so incredibly happy.  It was lovely.

The reception was really fun.  The food was so good, and it was fun to just hang out!

All in all, it was a fabulous wedding weekend!

Sunday morning I headed back to Dallas.  I got to see my best friend Carrie and her two sweet kiddos, which was really awesome.  I loved getting to spend just a little more time in Dallas.

Overall, it was such an awesome vacation.  I was glad to get home though, and sleep in my own bed.

Vacation Part One

Since I was on vacation for nearly a month, I'm breaking it up into a few parts for you so you don't get too overwhelmed.  You're welcome.

Every year my husband's family travels to Red River, NM for a week of fishing, hiking, and resting.  I must admit, I was very skeptical of this vacation plan when we first got married because it is totally opposite of how my family vacations, but I have loved these past few years in New Mexico.  It really is nice to get away with the goal of simply relaxing.

Red River, NM is at the very base of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico.  We're not too far from Colorado when we're there.  It is really beautiful.  But New Mexico is in a severe drought.  So much so that the forest was closed.  We were still able to go and fish because we stay on private property that has its own lake and river.  It was really sad though to see the land so incredibly dry.

However, the fishing was great!!  This is what I caught on the very first day along with Heath, my brother-in-law, and his catch:

Pretty nice fish!  I use a spinning rod, and Heath, Justin, and Tommy (father-in-law) use fly rods.  Sometimes Tommy goes back to a spinning rod, but he is fly fishing more and more.

Then, on Monday, they stocked the lake.  Justin and I went down at around noon to fish, and by 3 pm I had caught about 25 fish, along with these bad boys that I kept:

Since we (well mainly I) were doing so well we continued to fish until the lake closed at 7 pm.  I ended up catching over 40 fish plus all of these:

Oh yeah, and Justin caught this:

But I caught all of these:

Basically it was the best day of fishing that any one in the family has ever had!  And my in-laws have been going for about 30 years.  I outfished them all.

I might be a little bit proud of myself.

Just a little bit.

The rest of the week was super fun.  We went to see Harry Potter 7 pt. 2 which I LOVED.  We also rode the chair lift, which was really pretty.

All in all, it was a great week.

Now it's your turn!


Do you prefer to be super busy on vacation or just relax?
- I really like both, but I guess if I had to choose one I like going new places and doing a lot.

Would you rather go to the mountains or the beach?
- Another tricky one, but I have to go with the mountains.  So beautiful.