Love Shack - B52's

When I was younger, me and a group of friends every year at the Labor Day festival at the Fraze would sing karaoke. No doubt, we always sang this song, and still to this day, it's still my go-to song when I'm forced to sing in front of people. It always brings good memories of summers with friends. Enjoy! 

Love Shack

By The B52's

Here's where I got the lyrics!

If you see a faded sign by the side of the road that says

15 miles to the, Love Shack! Love Shack yeah, yeah

I'm headin' down the Atlanta highway. 

Lookin' for the love getaway, heading for the love getaway.

I got me a car, it's as big as a whale 

And we're headin' on down to the Love Shack

I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20

So hurry up, and bring your jukebox money

The love shack is a little old place where we can get together

Love shack, baby

(A love shack, baby)

Love shack, baby, love shack

Love shack, baby, love shack

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby, that's where it's at)

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby, that's where it's at)

Sign says, "Stay away fools"

'Cause love rules at the love shack

Well, it's set way back in the middle of a field 

Just a funky old shack and I gotta get back

Glitter on the mattress

Glitter on the highway

Glitter on the front porch

Glitter on the highway

The love shack is a little old place where we can get together

Love shack, baby

(Love shack baby)

Love shack, that's where it's at

Love shack, that's where it's at

Huggin' and a kissin', dancin' and a lovin'

Wearin' next to nothing, 'cause it's hot as an over

The whole shack shimmies, yeah, the whole shack shimmies

They whole shack shimmies 

When everybody's movin' around

and around and around and around

Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin', baby

Folks linin' up outiside just to get down

Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin', baby

Funky little shack, funky little shack

Hop in my Chrysler, it's as big as a whale

And it's about to set sail

I got me a car, it seats about twenty

So come on and bring your jukebox money

Oh, love shack is a little old place 

Where we can get together

Love shack, baby

(A love shack, baby)

Love shack, baby, love shack

Love shack, baby, love shack

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby, that's where it's at) 

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby, that's where it's at)

Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby

(Knock a little louder baby)

Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby 

(I can't hear you)

Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby

(Knock a little louder sugar)

Bang, bang, bang, on the door baby 

(I can't hear you) 

Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby

(Knock a little louder)

Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby

Bang, bang

(On the door, baby)

Bang, bang

(On the door)

Bang, bang

(On the door, baby) 

Bang, bang, you're what? Tin roof, rusted.

Love shack, baby, love shack

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby that's where it's at, yeah)

Love shack, baby, love shack

(Love baby that's where it's at) 

Love baby, love shack 

(Huggin' and a kissin')

(Dancin' and a lovin' at the love shack!)

Smile Sunday

Saying Saturday

I've always been kind of a dork when it came to sayings and quotes, so from now on, Saturdays are going to be "Sayings Saturday." I'll put up a quote that I've found that I think is inspirational, motivating, etc. 

Here's the first one!

I really like this quote because it's the truth. Everyone always thinks everything is going to be easy for them, but in reality, if it's easy, it's not worth it. It won't make you any better of a person or get you anywhere by letting you slide by. It's the hard things in life that define who we really are and who we will be in the future. 

Photography Friday

So I've decided that Fridays will be photography Fridays. This week's photographer is Richard Calmes. This semester for my photo class, I REALLY want to photograph ballet dancers so I've been looking up inspiration.

There were three types that I REALLY liked from his work! I really liked the shadow pictures!

I also really liked the silhouette pictures, but not as much as the black background pictures.

You should definitely check out his work through the link above because his work is really beautiful! Hopefully you enjoy these as much as I do!

Things to do Thursday

Since I have started my recent obsession with Pinterest, I have come across a lot of DIY (do it yourself) projects that I would like to try, and these things will be posted on Thursday as things to do. They won't be the only things to do though. I would also like to start compiling a list of activities to be done in Dayton since I'm always saying how boring it is. Maybe I'll prove myself wrong (or maybe I'll prove myself right).

So since it's finally trying to be winter here in Dayton, my first thing to do is go Ice Skating at RiverScape downtown.

This year's schedule

Mondays through Thursdays, there is no admission charge, so if you own your own skates, you can go and hang out for free! However, if you don't own your own pair, skate rental is just $3. A meer $5 will get you in Friday through Sunday and this includes rental and admission! 

**Keep in mind RiverScape is an OUTDOOR rink! 

So if you're not in to freezing outside and are looking for something a little warmer (although, how warm can you really get when you're playing on ice?), then ice skating is also available at The Kettering Rec Center. Admission is $3.50 if you're a resident of Kettering, $7 if you're not (there is no price difference at RiverScape) and skate rental is $2 for residents or non-residents. 

Here's the different events/times for the rec. 

DAY	TIME	ACTIVITY
MON	8:00 am - 10:00 am	Adult Skate (Ages 18+)
MON	2:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Mixed Freestyle (ALL AGES)
TUES	11:00 am - 2:00 pm	Youth & Homeschool Skate (Toddler - 15 years)
TUES	2:00 pm - 3:50 pm	Stick Time (ALL AGES)
WED	8:00 am- 10:00 am	Adult Skate (Ages 18+)
WED	10:00 am - 11:00 am	Stick Time (ALL AGES)
WED	11:00 am - 1:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
WED	3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
THURS	11:00 am - 2:00 pm	Youth & Homeschool Skate (Ages Toddler - 15 years)
THURS	2:00 pm - 3:50 pm	Mixed Freestyle (ALL AGES)
FRI	8:00 am - 10:00 am	Adult Skate (Ages 18+)
FRI	10:00 am - 11:00 am	Stick Time (ALL AGES)
FRI	11:00 am - 1:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
FRI	3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
FRI	8:00 pm - 10:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
SAT	1:30 pm - 3:30 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
SAT	8:00 pm - 10:00 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)
SUN	1:30 pm - 3:30 pm	Open Skate (ALL AGES)

So if ice skating isn't your thing, check back next week and I'll have something new that might be more appealing to your tastes. 

Enjoy the ice! And don't forget to bundle up :D

Website Wednesday

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2HMImL/www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc1X8VJBfDA/

When I stumble, whenever I come across videos I usually pass right past them, however this one started playing and I couldn't stop watching it and now I even kind of want to make one just to play around with it. Enjoy!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole

So I've decided that another goal for this year is to learn to cook, so every Tuesday is now going to be Tasty Tuesdays. I plan on finding recipes that I would love to try sometime and posting them. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

So this week, our recipe is for Blueberry French Toast Casserole. I found the recipe from: Chef In Training.

Alright, well here we go! Here's the recipe:

French Toast: 

• 12 slices of bread, cut into cubes (french or Texas toast work well)
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 12 large eggs
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups milk

Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon butter 

Directions:

1. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9x13 pan.
2. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.
3. Top with remaining bread cubes.
4. Mix together eggs, milk and syrup.
5. Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.
6. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. 
7. Serves 8 people.

Sauce:

• Cook water, sugar and cornstarch until thick; stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Drizzle over french toast and serve. 

I have tried a breakfast recipe similar to this, but this sounds too good to pass up! I can't wait to try it sometime soon! ENJOY!!

Our by Taylor Swift

So I've decided that I want to do this new things called Music Mondays. 

This Monday is "Ours" by Taylor Swift. 

Elevator buttons and morning air

Strangers' silence makes me want to take the stairs

If you were here we'd laugh about their vacant stares

But right now my time is theirs.

Seems like there's always someone who disapproves

They'll judge it like they know about me and you

And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do

The jury's out, my choice is you. 

So don't you worry your pretty little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

And life makes love look hard 

The stakes are high, the water's rough

But this love is ours.

You never know what people have up their sleeves

Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me

Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles

But I don't care 'cause right now you're mine. 

And you'll say 

Don't you worry your pretty little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

And life makes love look hard

The stakes are high, the water's rough

But this love is ours. 

And it's not theirs to speculate

If it's wrong and 

Your hands are tough

But they are where mine belong and 

I'll fight their doubt and give you faith

With this song for you.

'Cause I love the gap between your teeth

And I love the riddles that you speak

And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored

'Cause my heart is yours.

So don't you worry your pretty little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

And life makes love look hard

Don't you worry your pretty little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

But they can't take what's ours

They can't take what's ours.

The stakes are high, the water's rough,

But this love is ours. 

A little advice for the guys

Over Christmas break, it seemed like every time I turned around, someone else was getting engaged. I realize that I guess we're getting to that age now, but come on fellas...get a bit more original!

Working in the wedding industry, I've always loved hearing proposal stories, but when I hear "oh, he proposed on Christmas or New Years or my birthday," that's boring and unoriginal and sometimes expected. The only exception to these times would be if she has absolutely NO idea it's coming, however make it special.

I'm not saying you have to go all out and plan a flash mob in Disney World (see below), but one thing girls love are secret photographers! Even if it's just a friend taking pictures from behind a tree of the special moment, it will mean a lot that you put thought in to capturing the moment.

Also, be original. If it's not you to do something completely extravagant, don't try to, but think of something you know she'd like and maybe even a great story to tell later. Girls plan their wedding in their minds for most of their lives, so it's something she wants to remember forever, and granted, she will always remember how you popped the question, but there's even a chance that YOU'LL remember if it's something special to you both.

Sorry for the rant, I've just always been against getting engaged on a holiday or birthdays because it's so typical...I know you guys have it in you to be a little more creative than that ;)

Welcome 2012!

So now that 2011 is over and done, looking back, it has been a pretty crazy year.
There have been many memorable things from 2011 that have happened.

Just to name a few:

• May 2, 2011 - Osama bin Laden was killed by the United States SEALS! 
• Junior year ended in May, summer came and went and Ben and I made it through our first rough summer together. He was at training all summer and we hardly got to talk at all, however, we made it through and it made us stronger as a couple. Then we both started our senior years in August. 
• I got my first (and possibly last) serving job at J. Alexander's in July. It wasn't horrible, it was just exhausting and I wasn't a huge fan of it. Some nights were better than others, but to have a 20 minute drive, work for 5 hours and only make $15 during a lunch shift really wasn't worth it to me. I feel that my time and work is more valuable than that, so serving really wasn't for me. 
• I got my first puppy, Kugel in August a week before my birthday! He is a Chihuahua/Terrier mix and he's awesome! I usually don't like little dogs, but he's great. He's so adorable and he's my first dog. 
• September 11, 2011 was the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The memorial was finished and revealed to the public, but the new tower is still being built.
• November 6, 2011 - The University of Dayton Club Softball team beat Miami University for the first time in four years. Being a senior, it was so exciting to see the team pull together to defeat such a prominent team in our league. Hopefully our skills will continue to improve and we will do well in the Spring as well!
• Cassidy was born - I became an aunt on Wednesday November 23, 2011. She's adorable and I'm hoping during 2012, Nikki and I become closer and I get to hang out with her and get to know my niece. 

• The War on Iraq was announced to be over on December 18, 2011. 
• As the first semester of senior year came to an end, I made the decision to move home for the second semester/last semester. I will save myself some money that I am going to use to invest in a new camera, I can take care of my puppy, and work on finding a job. 

So since 2012 has officially began and is moving quickly already, I have a few goals, not resolutions, because I know resolutions never actually stick, but if I make a list of goals, it's something worth working toward throughout the year. I know how I am, and I don't really stick to resolutions, but this is a list of things I would like to work on during the year.

• Be a better sister - This year, I would like to become closer with my sister. We've never really been close, but I'm hoping that since she had a baby, it will bring her closer to the family again and will result in us becoming closer. 
• Save more money - I would like to become better at saving money in general. I have started this by deciding to move home for this semester. However, I will be spending some of that money to buy a new camera, but I believe this is a good decision and will result in more money to be saved. I'm also going to cut up my credit card after I pay if off. It only has a $500 limit, however, I have a really bad tendency of using it and then taking FOREVER to pay it off, which is horrible for my credit. So I figure not having one will be better than that. 
• Get a job - I need to find a job. This past semester, I didn't have one and I was bored out of my mind because 1) I didn't have any money to go and hang out with friends and 2) because I've been working since I was 15 and not having a job is driving me crazy. It doesn't matter if it has anything to do with my major or not, I just need to find a job doing SOMETHING. 
• Blog more - As a journalism major, I need to become a stronger writer, and I believe that writing blogs can help with that. I also know that once I move (some time after graduation), it will be a good way to keep my family and friends at home updated with my life, so if I start to make it a habit now, it'll be easier and stick later. 
• Workout - Ok, everyone ALWAYS makes this a goal for the new year, however, during last semester I was good at working out a few times a week since I was taking a class, but I need to continue this on my own this semester. I would like to get back in shape. I'm not necessarily OUT of shape, however, I get out of breath very quickly and need to do something about this. I would also like to work on my flexibility in hope that it might help my back. If I can strengthen my core and gain more flexibility, I really think it could help. 
• Puppy parent - So this past semester, living at school, I wasn't really around much for my pup. This semester, I'm going to be around every day and I want to work more in training him. Yes, he knows tricks and is usually house trained (he's been being a butt head recently because he's been jealous of Ben and Cassidy taking attention), but I want to work with him and maybe be able to do some off the leash training and teach him other new things. I also need to get him neutered ASAP and this will happen once I start saving more money. 
• Read more - I have been creating a list of books that I would like to read soon, and any suggestions would be appreciated! 
• Graduate - Everyone always says when making to-do lists, you should add things that you know you will complete, so I want to graduate. Graduation is May 6 and this will be a big day for me. I have payed my way through college and to be able to say I graduated without having to take off any time will be a big accomplishment for me. 

So that's a look back and a look forward for me. There may be things that I've forgotten and will want to add, but that's it for now. Thanks for reading!