I decided to get a jump start on my New Year's resolutions and I created a coupon blog to explain all about how I do what I do :) More than a few people recently have asked/pleaded with me to show them the coupon ropes so I thought it would be best to create a resource that I can just refer everyone to. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to sit down and talk coupons all day with someone if they want to because it is so much fun for me, but most other people just want the facts so they can get on with what they were doing :)
So here it is:
www.virginialovestosave.blogspot.com
It is still in the developing stage, but hopefully I can get it up and running the way I would like in no time. Feel free to add me to your google reader, blog rolls, etc... at least until I bore you to death with coupon tips!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Finally: Virginia Parkes Lagana, MHS, CRC!
Graduation was wonderful!!! You never realize it until you get there, but some things just don't feel official until there is a ceremony. I can't believe that I am no longer a student! Of course, Anthony thinks that is the most exciting thing in the world, but there is the nerd in me that is also kind of sad about that. There are lots more pictures to come, but here is what I could wrangle from friends:
My name in the program. The program is the same one for everyone graduating in December 2009, so mine has Tim Tebow in it!
Waiting, waiting, and more waiting :)We were the very last college to walk across the stage so we had to sit through about two hours of everyone else walking before us. They save the best for last, right?
This is me finally walking across the stage. I think there were about 10 people behind me before the end of the entire ceremony! I think we got some extra cheers just because we were the last group. The master of ceremonies (is that the right title?), anyway, he was one of my professors and right before I went to shook the Dean of the Graduate School's hand, he looked at my name card and asked me if there was a Santa Claus. I said yes.
This is a group of most of my classmates, one of my professors who was a doctoral student who got her PhD that night, and the other on my right is my major professor and advisor. She was seriously the best professor ever, and we all just love her to death. When she escorted the other student across the stage a girl sitting next to me started talking to her friend about Dr. Young and how boring she was (I guess she guest lectured or something). I seriously wanted to challenge her to a duel or something. After all, we were wearing ceremonial robes right :)
The other fun/interesting event of the night is that Harry Potter attended my graduation! Not really, but some joker tricked the announcer into reading his name card with "Harry Potter" written on it. Everyone got a good laugh and I spent a good portion of the rest of the ceremony looking through the program to see if that really was his name. Nope. My coworker is convinced that UF is going to get back at him by taking an exxxxtra long time in getting his diploma in the mail...
My name in the program. The program is the same one for everyone graduating in December 2009, so mine has Tim Tebow in it!
Waiting, waiting, and more waiting :)We were the very last college to walk across the stage so we had to sit through about two hours of everyone else walking before us. They save the best for last, right?
This is me finally walking across the stage. I think there were about 10 people behind me before the end of the entire ceremony! I think we got some extra cheers just because we were the last group. The master of ceremonies (is that the right title?), anyway, he was one of my professors and right before I went to shook the Dean of the Graduate School's hand, he looked at my name card and asked me if there was a Santa Claus. I said yes.
This is a group of most of my classmates, one of my professors who was a doctoral student who got her PhD that night, and the other on my right is my major professor and advisor. She was seriously the best professor ever, and we all just love her to death. When she escorted the other student across the stage a girl sitting next to me started talking to her friend about Dr. Young and how boring she was (I guess she guest lectured or something). I seriously wanted to challenge her to a duel or something. After all, we were wearing ceremonial robes right :)The other fun/interesting event of the night is that Harry Potter attended my graduation! Not really, but some joker tricked the announcer into reading his name card with "Harry Potter" written on it. Everyone got a good laugh and I spent a good portion of the rest of the ceremony looking through the program to see if that really was his name. Nope. My coworker is convinced that UF is going to get back at him by taking an exxxxtra long time in getting his diploma in the mail...
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Gingerbread House: CSI Style
So this is what happens when you get a bunch of grown siblings decorating a gingerbread house. We had no idea what to do or how exactly to decorate... until we decided to put some dead people in it. Pretty soon that evolved into a murdered candy stick-figure with gum drop caution tape surrounding it (notice the bottom right lawn and the gum drop caution tape on the door):
A few minutes later we decided that the culprit felt guilty (seeing as it is Christmas and all) and committed suicide around the back of the gingerbread house. The makings of a murderer? Slightly crushed gumball head, a carved gum drop gun, red icing and sprinkles blood/brain matter:
Anthony swears that I have been watching too much Criminal Minds, since I keep suspecting overly cautious drivers of having bodies in their trunks and making Murder/Suicide gingerbread houses. He might have a point :)
On a less morbid note, tomorrow is graduation! I've got my regalia all laid out and I am getting really excited. I can't believe it is happening after all this time! Of course, I am already considering going back to school because of the stinky job market, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't already start hatching plans for my next big accomplishment :) More pictures and an anniversary post to come!
A few minutes later we decided that the culprit felt guilty (seeing as it is Christmas and all) and committed suicide around the back of the gingerbread house. The makings of a murderer? Slightly crushed gumball head, a carved gum drop gun, red icing and sprinkles blood/brain matter:
Anthony swears that I have been watching too much Criminal Minds, since I keep suspecting overly cautious drivers of having bodies in their trunks and making Murder/Suicide gingerbread houses. He might have a point :)
On a less morbid note, tomorrow is graduation! I've got my regalia all laid out and I am getting really excited. I can't believe it is happening after all this time! Of course, I am already considering going back to school because of the stinky job market, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't already start hatching plans for my next big accomplishment :) More pictures and an anniversary post to come!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
He passed!!!
Anthony passed his really difficult class!!!!! We are both beside ourselves excited at how incredibly awesome this is!!! Seriously, we both had lots of reasons and stories about how ridiculous his one professor was, but in the end there wasn't much we could do about it except try to play by her rules, no matter how insane. All semester Anthony has been averaging 79's or 80's on the exams and that is with studying nonstop everyday. You need an 84 to pass the class, so we figured he would need a 90 on the comprehensive final to get the score he needed. Umm, we were both pretty sure that that wasn't going to happen. SO, Anthony still studied really hard but we both resigned ourselves to him having to repeat the course. He didn't turn in his paperwork for clinicals next semester, and he went ahead and reregistered himself for the same class for next semester.
And then, miracle of all miracles, Anthony called me today to tell me that he got a 93 on the exam!!! The neatest part is that the exam was just as hard as the previous exams but Anthony has worked so hard and learned so many different study strategies over the semester that it is like they all came together for this exam. I cannot tell you how much of a surprise and fall-down-on-your-knees blessing this is. This class has been such a trial for both of us, involving a lot of tears and disappointment at different times in the past few months. But, we pulled through and persevered and the Lord DEFINITELY blessed us tremendously. Even in the past few weeks leading up to this test, we both were feeling a lot of peace about what was happening and we trusted that maybe there was a reason that Heavenly Father wanted Anthony to retake this course (like maybe there was something he didn't learn the first time around that he would learn the second time that would save someone's life down the road).
So, thank you, thank you, thank you Heavenly Father, and congratulations to Anthony for all of his hard work and perseverance. Some of his classmates dropped the course after the first two tests, thinking that there was no way they could make the grade. It is a testament to Anthony's true love and desire for learning what he needs to know that he didn't take the easy way out and drop the class. He continued to study his booty off and work hard just so he could learn as much as he could, not expecting that he would get the grade he needed. I married the best man in the world :)
And then, miracle of all miracles, Anthony called me today to tell me that he got a 93 on the exam!!! The neatest part is that the exam was just as hard as the previous exams but Anthony has worked so hard and learned so many different study strategies over the semester that it is like they all came together for this exam. I cannot tell you how much of a surprise and fall-down-on-your-knees blessing this is. This class has been such a trial for both of us, involving a lot of tears and disappointment at different times in the past few months. But, we pulled through and persevered and the Lord DEFINITELY blessed us tremendously. Even in the past few weeks leading up to this test, we both were feeling a lot of peace about what was happening and we trusted that maybe there was a reason that Heavenly Father wanted Anthony to retake this course (like maybe there was something he didn't learn the first time around that he would learn the second time that would save someone's life down the road).
So, thank you, thank you, thank you Heavenly Father, and congratulations to Anthony for all of his hard work and perseverance. Some of his classmates dropped the course after the first two tests, thinking that there was no way they could make the grade. It is a testament to Anthony's true love and desire for learning what he needs to know that he didn't take the easy way out and drop the class. He continued to study his booty off and work hard just so he could learn as much as he could, not expecting that he would get the grade he needed. I married the best man in the world :)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas friends and family!!! I almost didn't put up Christmas decorations this year since we are spending the actual holiday out of town with family, but as soon as Thanksgiving was over I was craving some more holiday cheer :) So, last Monday for Family Home Evening Ant and I put up our tree.
I tried to get a good picture of us but I haven't really mastered being both photo-taker and photo-subject yet. Sitting here putting up the photos I realized that I am wearing almost the exact same thing as last Monday night. I guess that is my Monday work-out outfit. (And if Ant and I do anything together at night you can pretty much bet it will be right before or after a workout. Hence, the sweaty, make-up free photo :)
I am so excited that it is December already! Not only is it the best time of year, but this year it is full of celebrations. Next week is Ant and my 4 year wedding anniversary and my graduation from graduate school. The week after that is Christmas, and the week after that I am spending in Ohio at my sister's house with the rest of my family.
Work has been pretty stressful for me lately. Since I hold all of my stress in my stomach I've had a perpetual stomachache throughout the workday that takes away my appetite which then resolves after I get home and talk it out with Anthony. (As a side note, I seriously couldn't have picked a man more laid back and stress-free to help me through my "crazy" times). Then I proceed to catch up on my eating for the day. Eating an entire box of cheez-its isn't bad if they are whole grain right? :) On the bright side, most of the stress and hassle will resolve after this week when finals are over. Since our office is administering about 60 exams a day during finals week, I don't think I have ever been this stressed about finals, even my own.
Anthony is bravely pushing through his finals. One of his classes is going really well and the other not so much. There is all of this departmental controversy and drama over this particular professor for his problem class. She basically tries her best to fail her students by creating seriously unreasonable tests and "tricking" the students by telling them things will not be on the test and then turning around and putting several questions about it on the test. Her defense is that they should know everything about everything and photographically memorize the textbook, so if they don't know a random fact that is mentioned once in the textbook then that is the student's fault. Other professors in his program have actually come out and told students that they have a problem with this professor and one even said that she would compare her teaching style to "terrorism" and "domestic violence abuse". Next semester there will be a new Dean for the college of nursing, so the good professors are hoping that the Dean will either force this professor to start trying to actually teach her students or replace her with someone who will. Drama, drama, drama. On the bright side again, Ant's last test is Wednesday and after that he can breathe for a few weeks before it starts all over again. For all of you who are already done with school, don't you miss all of this ;)
I tried to get a good picture of us but I haven't really mastered being both photo-taker and photo-subject yet. Sitting here putting up the photos I realized that I am wearing almost the exact same thing as last Monday night. I guess that is my Monday work-out outfit. (And if Ant and I do anything together at night you can pretty much bet it will be right before or after a workout. Hence, the sweaty, make-up free photo :)
I am so excited that it is December already! Not only is it the best time of year, but this year it is full of celebrations. Next week is Ant and my 4 year wedding anniversary and my graduation from graduate school. The week after that is Christmas, and the week after that I am spending in Ohio at my sister's house with the rest of my family.
Work has been pretty stressful for me lately. Since I hold all of my stress in my stomach I've had a perpetual stomachache throughout the workday that takes away my appetite which then resolves after I get home and talk it out with Anthony. (As a side note, I seriously couldn't have picked a man more laid back and stress-free to help me through my "crazy" times). Then I proceed to catch up on my eating for the day. Eating an entire box of cheez-its isn't bad if they are whole grain right? :) On the bright side, most of the stress and hassle will resolve after this week when finals are over. Since our office is administering about 60 exams a day during finals week, I don't think I have ever been this stressed about finals, even my own.
Anthony is bravely pushing through his finals. One of his classes is going really well and the other not so much. There is all of this departmental controversy and drama over this particular professor for his problem class. She basically tries her best to fail her students by creating seriously unreasonable tests and "tricking" the students by telling them things will not be on the test and then turning around and putting several questions about it on the test. Her defense is that they should know everything about everything and photographically memorize the textbook, so if they don't know a random fact that is mentioned once in the textbook then that is the student's fault. Other professors in his program have actually come out and told students that they have a problem with this professor and one even said that she would compare her teaching style to "terrorism" and "domestic violence abuse". Next semester there will be a new Dean for the college of nursing, so the good professors are hoping that the Dean will either force this professor to start trying to actually teach her students or replace her with someone who will. Drama, drama, drama. On the bright side again, Ant's last test is Wednesday and after that he can breathe for a few weeks before it starts all over again. For all of you who are already done with school, don't you miss all of this ;)
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