I really like the idea of bullet pointing this entry but I feel like that's what I've been doing for the past two entries so it's not very fair to you. Sorry!

To recap the past few days I could say that the most fulfilling thing I did was quilt. Or piece.. since I technically wasn't quilting yet. Jaime patiently helped me see the 'logical' 'math' side of piecing this project and it helped me immensely. I wanted to originally start with the lightest blocks in the center and then get darker as it worked it's way to the edges but when I laid it out it didn't really look 'amazing'. So then I figured, why not make it randomized. That started to look way better but I had organized all 218 squares into piles of light, medium, and dark. So then Jaime and I took them all and rearranged them into four quadrants with equal number of colored squares in each one. I have since been piecing them quadrant by quadrant. I've got two finished. So that's half the top! All I have left to do is the other two and the boarder and I'll be finished :) I have to say that putting the large pieces together, the four quadrants pieces is probably my favorite part about quilting. All the sudden it looks even better than you had imagined it! And then you have to quilt it and I haven't figured out if that will be me or someone else. And then I have to put the binding on which.. takes a long long time. Longer than I like to imagine and it's kinda anti climactic because you already know what it's going to be. It's like opening a present that is gift wrapped in clear paper. It's not really a surprise anymore but it's still kinda exciting.

I watched Wizard People with the Dauro's and that was fantastic. I'm in the middle of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince so being able to watch the first movie with a story dubbed over it was a lot of fun. Plus Jaime laughed and I love it when he has a good time around me and other people. He's just so darn introverted sometimes!

My legs are so sore. I started running again and I accidentally put on my junk running shoes instead of my new ones.. such a bad idea. Not only are my legs sore from starting running after a long break, but because I ran in bad shoes. I get to run again tonight and I'm hoping that the new shoes will help loosen my legs!

I meant to write about relaxing because I've discovered some things about myself that I never knew before! I've been trying to find ways to relax because in the midst of teaching 20 students, working almost full time at the music store and singing in the early mornings I get really stressed out. One thing that I changed was going straight to the church to teach instead of dropping by home and having a snack and some down time. I have about an hour in between depending on the days that I teach and I always figured that it was good for me to go home and rest, regroup, and get on to teaching. Now that I'm going to teach and taking my time getting there I'm a lot less stressed about it. It's really an amazing difference. I think that I figured having down time would help me relax but it made things worse since I had the pressure of "don't be late" hanging over me. Now I know I'm not going to be late, I can pick up a snack on my way, and chill out before my first student comes. It works out much better. So I'm trying to figure out more ways that I can relax. After getting those two large parts of the quilt I'm making done I found that I was extremely happy. I felt like I accomplished something and could enjoy having it done. So even if the act of sewing doesn't calm me down, I feel the benefits of it immediately afterward. It's strange how humans work isn't it? Jaime can sit down and play video games for an hour and feel totally relaxed but that would make me so stressed out! The pressure of playing the game, the pressure of getting it done in time to go on to the next thing etc. Too much! Plus it's kinda nice to drive in the slow lane and not worry about being late to things :) I like that part the most.

In other news, my parents are renting a beach house in SC at the end of May and May could not get here fast enough. What perfect timing. Teaching will end, and then vacation, a beach vacation! Imagine... schnauzers on the beach! :)