So with it being the end of the semester, that means that summer vacation is almost ready to start! However, I also have to take a summer class this year, BOO...however, it is an online course, which is good, so I do not need to travel back and forth to campus and have to worry about that whole deal. The thing that does suck is that it runs from May 26th-July 18th. I will be in Vegas June 10th-14th, so I have to take my laptop with me when I go so that I can work on the group projects she assigns EVERY week!! Yay for a 3 hour time difference too, that will be interesting to work out with my group that week. Oh well, time will tell how that all works itself out. No need to worry about it just yet.

So I am curious to see what my grades this semester are going to be like. It was an OKAY semester over all, not one of my greatest nor favorites. As of now, this is how I see it: AMST: B-, ENG: B-, Geography: A-, EDC: B, History: B-. BLAH, I know, I know, those grades are not so bad, but I don't know, I really just want that damn 3.0 that I so desperately need by this time next year. I also still have to take my PRAXIS, I'll probably take them in the Fall at some point.

SO, on the baby front, Desiree is due in July, still no word on the sex, they were told it was a boy, but they aren't so sure because my brother and Des didn't think the lady knew what she was doing. They saw something really long hanging down from the baby (clearly, it was probably the umbilical cord). So Des & her mom, and my mom and Jessie all said the ultrasound looked like a dragon, so obviously, they want to go back and get another one done because they really aren't sure what's going on, I say it's an alien baby with a tail, that or there's really two babies in there and it's not the umbilical cord, it's really another babies leg getting in the way! To which both answers got Desiree's mom freaking out!! HA, it was funny, she was just like "Oh God, don't say there are two, that's not funny!", well I clearly thought it was! Dumbasses, they make this wonder drug called BIRTH CONTROL for a reason, oh and those cheap rubber things called CONDOMS! Maybe they should learn to use them! Not that I don't love my nephew Jessie, OMG he is sooo cute! (see below). I wouldn't change him for the world, but to have another one already and in their situation, is just stupid. But look at that face, so adorable and crawling, already!! He is 8 months old, I can't believe how fast time goes by.

current mood: hopeful

Yep, already...Desiree is due in July apparently. Hopefully this one will be a girl!! I really want a niece that I can dress up and make pretty! HA, also because Jessie will probably go nuts having a daughter!! God, I hope it's a girl!! I'd imagine they can find out when they go to the doctors wether it is a boy or girl since she is already 4 months.

~*LaUrA*~

current mood: cold

Got my 1, and only wisdom tooth pulled yesterday afternoon. The numbing part wasn't bad, but the needle that they inserted into the roof of my mouth to numb up my whole left side of my face sucked. Everything went well, I didn't feel anything and it was all over in seriously under a minute....but then a few moments after they got the tooth out the wave of nausea and sweats took over. I couldn't think straight when the dental assistant was trying to schedule my next two appoitments. My head was just not there and really wanted to scream and run to the bathroom. Well then I calmed down and walked into the waiting room to meet Joe, well then I realized I forgot my jacket, purse, and gauze...so I ran back to grab everything and finally walked to the elevator and started to feel even worse then I had and was trying my hardest not to puke. Well...I got off the elevator, walked half-way across the parking lot, and ta-da I puked up my lomein lunch all over the ground while Joe jumped back as far as he could to not avoid getting puked on. (THANKS JOE!) When we got into the car he opened the windows so that I could get some air, which really helped, then he handed me a bag incase I had to puke again. Thankfully I didn't. I've been eating a diet of soft food since (with the exception of the grahm cracker thin crisp, they were delicious)! It did take a while for the bleeding to stop, but I was happy when it finally did because everytime I put the gauze in my mouth, I gagged. Right now everything feels pretty good, but my head still hurts a bit and my jaw hurts when I try to open it to a certain amount. Next Tuesday I go back so the dentist can check on the spot and be sure all is good with it. Then the next Tuesday I have to go for my cleaning since I am over-due for one.

~*LaUrA*~ 

current mood: good

 I have been great, I am spending some time at home for the first time in about a week tonight and some of tomorrow. I practically LIVE at my boyfriends so when we are apart it's usually on for 24 hours. It gives me an early look at what marriage life will be like (except then we wont have his brother and mom there, lol). I start school again on Tuesday, I can't believe a month has gone by alredy, blah...only another 4 months till another, even LONGER break!! I can't wait for summer-->warm weather, suntans, and Vegas & Cancun!! AHHH....I can picture it now!!

Yes, I have FINALLY finished the book! So glad I am done now, I feel like I have actually accomplished something over my break now! I can't believe all the people who died. And now all of a sudden I REALLY like Snape, he was just sorta...misunderstood. I think I am even more of a Snape fan now. And I was so happy when I read that Mrs. Weasley killed Beatrix, god she was evil, she had it cominng, she did kill Serius after all, you can't do that and NOT get killed in the end! lol, I had much love for Serius in the 5th movie (guess it's a chick thing, lol). I think I was shocked the most when they killed Tonks & Lupin...so sad. I am a bit mad at how Voldemort died, I thought there would be SOOO much more to it then that. I was kinda pissed that I had to read 650 some-odd pages just to find out he died that quickly and stupidly (yes, that's right, I said stupidly!) uhg... So I am confused, are we supposed to think that the Malfoy family have changed a bit at the very end?? I wish they could have cleared some of that up for me. And what happened to Luna? or George, and the rest of the important characters? Are we supposed to just assume they all live happily-ever-after?? I am left with all these questions...WTF?! lol, I think I am even more aggravated about it now that I keep thinking about it. I can't wait to see the next 2 movies now more than ever. But that is another thing that will piss me off....if they change things around  and do not include the stuff I want them to, the way I had imagined it as I read the 2 books. But I don't know, I guess I will just have to wait and see!

~*LaUrA*~

current mood: chipper

AMST 100 - B

ENG 150 - B

HIS 250 - C+

EDC 217 - A-

EDC 205 - B

Current GPA: 3.0

Overall GPA: 2.88

All-in-all: NOT BAD!!! I am actually pretty happy. Wish I could have done better in History, however, History has never been one of my strong subjects. This education major however is a BIG change from Nursing, So far I have recieved a C, B, B, and A- in my first 4 education classes, which is good, the first education class that I got the C in was really hard though and the teacher made the final extremely difficult, but now that I have the A- in EDC 217, that C doesn't matter so much, I have a 3.0 education GPA, which is what I need, all I have to work on now is the overall GPA of a 2.88 which by the time I start student teaching in Fall 2009 has to also be a 3.0. I do not think I will have a problem getting that, all I need to remember is to keep doing what I did this past semester and I will do fine!!

So, my goddaughter hates me (or so I am starting to think). She is the only baby who cries when I go near her. Now in reality I know that she doesn't REALLY hate me and it is clear that it is because she has only met me 3 times now and really has no clue who I am. This is understandable, really it is, she just doesn't understand why my parents, sister, and I are there since she has only seen us at her Christening back in September. It made me sad though that she started screaming and crying when I tried to play with her and feed her. I seriously wanted to cry. So now I just say that she hates me and that she is a little brat! I know it's not true, but hey that's how she makes me feel. I am sure someday she will feel comfortable with me, but right now all she does is scream and cry when I am around.

current mood: content

My baby nephew is doing well, he is so fat! lol he was a pumpkin for Halloween, we actually had to cut out the bottom to the costume so that he could free his legs, his poor feet and legs were all cramped in before we cut away the bunting. Dominick was Spider Man, he was has been excited about that since summer, no lie, he's had his costume since at least July. lol and I thought I was the only crazy person like that. lol and he is 6!

I got my hair cut 2 weekends ago, long layers, it's actually really cute looking, not to much of a change so only 2 people noticed (neither being Joe)...but that's ok, I had told him I was gonna get it cut. Jimmy Armstrong's engagement party was the same night I got my hair cut, that was a nice little get together, it was only their close family and friends, it's nice that I fall under that category. Carol and Jack have always been awesome, they are some great and funny people to be around. lol even better as I get older! Strawberry Ziffindale is awesome wine too.

I think I have tendonitis in my right wrist now like I did in my left one back in November of Sophomore year of high school....playing the bass and probably too much laptop usage is the cause....maybe too much writing as well...I blame school! lol, 14 days of classes left, but can you even say that if 2 days a week you only have 1 class?? Hmm....it will feel like much less, I'll say that much!!

OKK...1:34am...and I have to read for my English class that is at 9:30, I ran late for class on Tuesday so I missed the announcement that I had to read these 3 things for today...time to get on that and hopefully I can be in bed within the hour that way I can get 6 hours of sleep.

Night,
~*LaUrA*~

current mood: AH...SCHOOL!!

So school has started for the 2OO7-2OO8 school year! I am a junior, already! Scary thought! I still have to years after this one, it kinda sucks, but the last year is a full year of student teaching. We are already into week 3 of 15 which is cool; the weeks are flying by now that I am getting all of my assignments and readings done ASAP. It really DOES make things a whole lot less stressful. My schedule this semester goes like this:

Monday's - 11am - American Studies 100

Tuesday's - 9:30am - English/Literature 150 (Themese and Cultures)

            11am - History 251 (1500-to the present)

Wednesday's - 11am - American Studies 100

             2pm - Education 217 (Learning & Teaching Elementary & Middle school Mathematics)

Thursday's - 9:30am - English/Literature 150 (Themes and Cultures)

             11am - History 251 (1500-to the present)

             2pm - Education 205 (Educational Psychology III)

Friday's - 11am - American Studies 100

I must say, my schedule is pretty nice, only one class on Monday's and Friday's which makes it feel like a nice extended weeken. It's also great that I don't have to get up till 10:15ish on MWF if I don't want to.

-----------------------*------------------------

Some other things that have been going on in my life are that this past Sunday I became a god mother to a beautiful baby girl, Lucia Chiara (pronounced key-air-a). The christening was a nice closed ceremony between just the imediate families of my godfather and his wife, and a few close friends. It was great being asked to be the godmother to my own godfathers' daughter! As soon as I upload my pictures, I will post one. Lucia looked beautiful in the gown I picked out and bought for her! Too bad she really didn't like the shoes all that much...she kept screaming and kicking them off anytime we tried to put them on her. It was cute, she slept right through the baptism, even when the priest poured the water on her head; they finally use warm water to baptise the babies, the church finally got some brains, how about that, lol. The reception afterwards was held at this really cute Italian restuarant, it was really tiny, but only 3 minutes from their house and the church. The food was delicious and came out in courses, the salad and bread, then pasta in pink or red sauce; I had pink, DELICIOUS!! Then the main course came out which was your choice between chicken, salmon, or veal...of course, i had the veal! Finally was cake and a sampling of fruit, I found out I really do not care for Mango fruit unless it is in the waterice form! It was funny because the waiter came out and asked my uncle Jimmy (aka my godfather, and not a real uncle) how to spell Lucia's first and middle name incase they wanted it on the cake, well he knew how to spell the first name but when he got to Chiara, he was a little stuck and told the waiter to ask Lucy what she wanted to have put on the cake. lol, poor guy can't even spell his own daughters italian name, how do you think it will be for her growing up?!

current mood: blah

That's right!! Yesterday (8-7-07) @ 3:12pm after 18 hours of labor, my nephew, Jessie Lee Hopkins, JR entered the world! He weighs 7 pounds, 9 ounces and is just about 21 inches long!! He is adorable and looks just like my brother did when he was born!! Both mommy and baby are doing great & my brother is so happy, he even got to cut the umbilical cord.

As soon as I can, I will post a picture of the handsome little guy on here for everyone to see!

My parents are also very happy, my mom was the first of the family members to hold him an hour after he was born, she took one look at him and started to cry because of how much he looked like my brother. The first picture I got of him he stuck his tongue out in! lol, looks like he has his daddy's sense of humor already...watch out world! It was great when I got to hold him, he was a sleep but he looked so peaceful like he had not a care in the world!

I'll update later with some pictures!

~*LaUrA*~

current mood: loved

OK, so the last bunch of babies are/being born!

-My aunt Kathleen gave birth to a baby girl named Sinead (damn them and their weird Irish children!) sometime in the first week and a half of July.

-My uncle Jimmy (really my god-father) and his wife Lucy gave birth to a baby girl also, this was on July 1st and I believe they named her Lucia.

-A girl I grew up with who lives a few doors down from me just gave birth to her son Aiden Thomas on July 16th by C-Section.

SO, now I am just waiting on the birth of my first nephew/god-son. Desiree's due date *the last we heard* is August 13th. She had a doctors appointment this past Thursday, however, she has yet to call us to let us know what is up and everything. I just can not wait for the baby to be born!! They already named him-->Jessie,Jr. Blah, Blah, Blah. I am already spoiling this kid and he isn't even born yet!! lol. I am gonna be a great aunt/god-mother to him. I can't wait to hold him!!

~*LaUrA*~

current mood: happy

So, let's see...

My brother and Desiree are due August 13th. The baby shower is July 28th. I have everything with the exception of an extra thing I wish to add to the gifts to complete the set. They are naming the baby Jessie Lee Hopkins, JR. AHH, I am not liking it, I am not a big fan of the name Jessie in the first place. Oh well, I'll come up with a cute nickname for him or something. SO, guess what? I am going to be the god-mother of Jessie, JR!! My brother asked me at the pool last week when me & Joe were leaving, of course I said 'yes'.

So as far as work goes, I am back at KRG working with my mom again this summer. Not bad so far, not nearly as bad as last summer when we had to work with the wood, thankfully, there is no more wood stuff to be done; it's all acrylic stuff now. I've gotten 2 pay checks so far, both of which have gone in my checking account giving me $264.61 and after spending $44.27 today at the mall i am left with $220.34 which i will not touch now until Florida. That is the ONLY money i am taking with me, so i CAN NOT touch anymore of it unitl then.

I leave Tuesday for Florida, I can't wait!! When we get there we are going to Animal Kingdom, yippee! Joe & I are excited to ride the new ride there. Monday night my mom, Joe, & I are going to the Phillie's game again the White Sox; should be fun! Sunday is Katie's grad party, tomorrow *later today* is my cousin Bucky's grad party at his house. And since Joe just got in from Vegas a little while ago, I am even more excited to see him then I originally was, I get to see him later today after my cousins grad party! YAY!

Night,
~*LaUrA*~

current mood: happy