So Much To Update!

*press play now!*

First and foremost, I've decided that I like including a link to a song appropriate for the blog I post. From now on, I'm going to do my darndest to include a fun, related video to the post I write! So, in following suit with my last post, click the link and hum along as you read this newest post! =)

So, in case you couldn't guess from the song...I'm first going to update about MY NEW HOUSE! In all the stress and chaos of my life lately, I've successfully managed to research homes in the area for rent, tour quite a few, make lists of pros and cons, organize a group of 5 awesome girls (one of which is abroad, making communication a little difficult), be all adult-like, and sign a lease! I'm super excited to report that next year I'll be living with the lovely Hope, Beth, Cailin, and Kristin off-campus in a 5 bedroom / 2 bath home. The house is a little farther away from campus than we first expected to live, but in comparing the possible living options, we decided to sacrifice location for awesome house and cheap rent! Ironically enough, the house was once occupied by my ex-boyfriend and his friends, so I know it QUITE well! In fact, I want to lay claim to his former bedroom.

I'm SO very excited to finally live in a place off campus, act like a real adult in my own house, and get to do things I've been deprived of since living in on-campus housing in college such as:
- COOKING and BAKING in a huge kitchen!
- Lighting candles whenever I darn well please...including during birthday celebrations! (what's a birthday without birthday candles!? Really!!)
- watching t.v. (did I mention our rent includes premium cable with on demand movies? Um...yeah!!!)
- Decorating according to our preference (picking out our own furniture, etc.)
- hosting parties (I'm especially thinking fun dinner parties! We're classy!)
- And still to be determined...possibly playing mommy to a brand new kitty cat of my very own! (I've gotten the landlords ok, and just have to investigate if it's the best option for me. I'm DYING to have a new kitten in my life, but I need to think reasonably and figure out if it's the right decision. I'm leaning towards yes, however!)

Here are a few pictures of our house! We can't wait to get in there ourselves and decorate how we see fit! =)

 The exterior

Right through the front door: living room and dining room

Main floor bathroom (three of us will share it)

Kitchen (by night)

 Kitchen (by day)

Other news:

This weekend did not pan out as previously anticipated. Dustin and I ended our year + relationship last Sunday, so even though I thought this weekend would be filled with Valentine love and fluff, that wasn't really the case. My gorgeous Amy came down from Seattle for some Tacoma fun. We went shopping at the  mall (both finding some fun things!) and made a delicious rib dinner with strawberry daiquiris to boot (classy, no?). We had some good time to chat and she was, as always, a great friend in listening to my ups and downs as I figure out life without Dustin. She was even sweet enough to bring me gorgeous tulips from Seattle! =)

Cailin and I had been planning on making Valentine cake pops since weeks back, so we stuck to that. Today, we made these adorable little things that I'll be using as Valentine's tomorrow:

I used Funfetti cake and dyed it pink, as well as dying the cream cheese frosting pink, too, so hopefully when folks bite into them, they'll be a fun pink on the inside! 

This upcoming week brings many new exciting things. I have a group interview for a peer advisor position I'm hoping to land for the 2011-2012 school year. Only problem is, I'm going up against one of my good friends, Rhiannon, who is also extremely well-qualified for the job! It makes me nervous to think who will get it. We'd both be great at the job! ={

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I will be at the Washington Music Educators Association conference in Bellevue, WA with my fellow UPS Music Education majors, soaking up all the goodness of the career I look forward to! This conference really, truly, makes me grin from ear to ear. There are SO many good topics and presentations. Every aspect of this conference gets me revved up for being a music educator!

I'm also avidly looking for potential jobs for this summer, both here in Tacoma and at home. I'm specifically looking for a job that will allow me to further my interest in music education by teaching kids at a summer camp. We'll see how that goes - but so far my search efforts have yielded few results. Keep your fingers crossed.

Now onto studying for my vocal pedagogy quiz tomorrow and completing my voice lesson reflection. Then BED!