Since we didn't make huge plans this year for New Years Eve, I decided that I probably shouldn't spend any money on anything special to wear for NYE night. We are staying in and having folks over. It will be VERY casual. I guarantee you I will be the most dressed up person of the evening- and thats okay! Its MY last minute party! Actually, most all most friends already have plans, so it will be a lot of Chris' friends, which are my friends too so it will be lots'O fun! 
ANYWAYS, I started shopping my closet for Ideas, after I looked through a few magazines, blogs, and pinterest  this is what I came up with. Mostly stuff I have had for a while with a few new pieces. 

Tell me which one you would wear and where to?!

I'll be sure to let you know which one I go with! Everyone have a happy, fun & SAFE New Years Eve Night! I am so happy I will get to kiss Chris, Pickle & Olive this NYE!!!

Xo,
Court 

Thank goodness I do not have to go to work tomorrow! I am such a creature of the night. I have been waking up 3 years now bright and early to go into teach, however I have never transformed into an early bird. The mornings are ALWAYS rough for me. 

Anyways....this weekend it was a pretty lazy weekend, but I managed to get a few things done. It rained all day Saturday, but we did brave Lenox mall to go get a few links taken out of my new Kate Spade watch :) Other than that, Chris and I stayed in, watched movies, ate homemade chili & I made some party hats & decorations for NYE. (We just decided to have folks over)! 

Today- (Sunday, as I haven't gone to bed yet!) I woke up and made chocolate raspberry, blueberry, strawberry pancakes and then spent the rest of the day cleaning our studio/office space. 

So the before pictures of this room is quite embarrassing. We (mainly I) look like hoarders! Its difficult for me y'all. I am an art teacher! I hate to see anything go to waste and can think of a purpose for almost anything! In fact, at my  work holiday party this year our principal gave out gag awards, and I got the "Human Recycling Bin".... So the studio- (my desk) got to the point where it was unmanageable, unworkable and not functioning well for me or Chris either one. Out of nowhere today (after a little bit of pinning of course) I felt inspired to clean, organize and decorate the studio finally! It feels soooo good! I still have a bit more todo. Spots to fill with artwork and you can see little piles of things that needed to be sorted through still and those drawers....oh, I did about half of them. But geese, they can get out of control quickly with all of my nick-nacs. 

I am really happy with the progress thus far on the space, and hopefully it will have Chris and I both feeling inspired in the new year to get some projects done! 

Here are 3 self-portraits I did 4 (FOUR- yes I can say that long ago) years ago in college that I came across while purging old art work today. They are all 18' X 24" done in water color and inks based off dreams I've had. It was an assignment from one of my (favorite) college professors. I miss being the student sooo bad (sometimes)! But mostly, I miss all the time I had to think about my OWN art work...even if it was an assignment given to me by a professor. 

Woah, okay- I feel like this was a big post and now its getting really late so maybe I will be able to sleep! 

xoxo,
Court

Jess Lively had this “friendly reminder” posted on her blog today, as well as in January of 2012.
I really like it, and it got me thinking about my own personal goals, dreams and aspirations for the new year. 2013 was a really, really great year for me. I did a lot of personal growth this year, and feel more comfortable in my skin than ever! My relationships- personal & professional grew stronger than ever, and that is something I am very thankful for and to have going into 2014. 

A coworker of mine, who is also a minister outside of his already full-time teaching job, comes and talks to me just about every morning before my 1st class arrives. I am soo thankful for this, as he always helps me get my mind straight with a little word from the big guy before I have 28 kids in front of me for the next 7 hours. Our morning conversations aren’t always pulled from scripture but whatever we talk about it is usually pretty insightful and something we finish talking about at lunch duty ;)  

The reason I am sharing all of this is because last year, we often had these same talks, but they did resonate with me- or mean as much. I am always talking/thinking/dreaming about "what I want to be when I grow up”. Yes, I know I am 24 and going into my 3rd year of my “career” but I don’t always think of it that way, and it seems like this is my stepping stone to whatever is next. 

I talk with my coworker(s) about this- as generally I am at least 10 years younger than most of them and truly do value their insights. I remember last year this one particular coworker telling me that I just need to keep doing what I am doing. That I have figured out my God given gifts and I am using them to contribute to the lives of others and as long as I continue to walk in my faith, using my gifts, the desires of my heart will be herd and God will deliver, and show me the paths I need to take. 

Hind sight is always 20/20, but when I look back on my life, especially when I think about the hard times. Even the time when I didn’t have much faith in anything, I started thinking about how I handle those situations and got myself through. And it was with a lot of old fashion HARDWORK HONESTY (with myself & others), and using the gifts that I had been given naturally to get myself by. I believe that regardless of your faith handwork, honesty, and using the talents you have been naturally blessed with is where everyone can find their true success, fulfillment, and happiness in life. However, I personally believe God has a lot to do with it :) 

I share this all with you to encourage you to be realistic with yourself as you make these hefty goals & todo list for 2014. DON’T set yourself up for failure to just be disappointed. Don’t get soo focused on all those things you Pinned and ‘the new you’. Just focus on YOU(pampering yourself, mediating, sleeping & eating properly), what YOUR good at (hobbies, talents…), the things YOU love about YOURSELF (how will you make these areas shine in 2014?!), and the areas you have room to grow in (we ALL can grow somehow). I will be sharing my goals, to do list, and rules for living in 2014 later on this week! 

But do not make the new year all about you. Teaching has taught me ALOT about myself, because serving others (500 + kids breakfast Mon.- Fri.), teaching others, helping others grow (spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically) will show you more about yourself and what your made of than you ever knew. So make plans on how you will use your gifts and talents to serve others this year. No matter what you do, I promise you there is someone out there is wants to pick your brain, so even if it is time you can offer- do something to make 2014 a better year for everyone! 

Happy New Year every body!!! 

xo,
Court

P.s. : and remember “ DREAMS DON”T WORK IF YOU DONT WORK!” 

I sure do hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday with their families and friends! I certainly did :) Christmas came and went sooo fast this year- but it seems to go by faster the older I get (life in general). In the days since Christmas I have been cleaning up around the apartment, as well as finishing up with my holiday visits with friends. 

This Christmas (as far as gifts goes) has been the best ever!!! I made that Christmas list just for fun, but between my family, Chris' family, my secret santa at work and my friends- I literally got just about everything off that list!!! I can't even believe it. Everyone was like- "you made it soo easy for me, I just picked something off your list!" hah! I also got ALOT of dachshund stuff- which you can never go wrong with by me :) I have many thank you notes to  write this weekend!!!

Chris, Chris, Chris, Chris.....he spoils me. I got a new Macbook Air from him last Friday (he sold my Macbook Pro- which was just a little over a year old) and used that money to help pay for a new air. (The macbook pro was HUGE and passed down to me when Chris got a new laptop- and I was used to my 13' macbook before that, so I liked all the power that the pro had but wanted to down size on all the bulk). On Christmas day, he gave me the Fuji X20 (the black and silver one), with a tripod and the camera bag from Modcloth that was on my list as well!. He told me that I have everything I need to make my blogging dreams come true! hah He's soo sweet to me :) 

So I have been playing around with my camera the past few days too. I took a film photography class in college and a couple of graphic design classes as well. So I'm not completely lost using a camera, or photoshop but have ALOT of learning to do. Using the camera is quickly coming back to me though! I haven't ever had a camera this nice- but haven't had anything but my phone to take pictures with in over 4 years (and well my photographer boyfriend). Needless to say I am SOOOO excited to have this camera! 

Until next time! 

-xoxo,
court