no greater feelin' than the love of family

So I'm watching my current favorite TV show, Parenthood, and I started thinking about why I love this show so much.  Perhaps I am amazed at Lauren Graham's ability to play the single mom who really needs to get it together yet again (I'm an avid Gilmore Girls fan).  Or maybe it's the insightful look into the challenges of raising a child with Asperger's.  It could also be the interesting dynamic of Joel as a stay-at-home dad and Julia fulfilling the role of the workaholic lawyer.

But during the midst of an all-out brawl between brothers, while the whole family is talking over each other, I realized that I drawn to all TV shows about big, crazy families.  It doesn't take a psychiatrist (conveniently I do know one of those) to figure out why.  I'm an only child.  And it's no secret to my parents that I've always wished for siblings.  Pretty sure I even lied about my mom being pregnant to one of my preschool teachers.  But for whatever reason, I'm an only child.  And most of the time, I'm content with that.  I love hanging out with my parents.  But I think I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't see a large family in my future.  My TV habits sure indicate that.

Let's go back to the beginning, shall we?  I spent many a weekday afternoon in middle school (er...and high school) curled up on the couch, pretending to do homework, watching Seventh Heaven.  

What girl didn't love watching the Camden siblings wrestle with imaginary friends (Ruthie), pregnancy out of wedlock (Simon), and relationships (all of them...except the twins, I guess) for 11 YEARS???  Honestly?  No one I know watched this show as long as me.  I was literally a high school graduate when the final episode of the show premiered.

I found the constant drama surrounding using the ONE BATHROOM that all seven kids shared quite fascinating.  This is probably because, as an only child, I've always had a bathroom to myself (I adjusted to college quite well despite this, thank you very much).

Thankfully, once Seventh Heaven was cancelled, a more grown-up version appeared on the small screen.  In 2009, the fall of my junior year of college, Brothers and Sisters made its debut.

Centering around slightly more mature issues, like what to do with the family business after the cheating father suddenly dies, this show certainly filled the void that Seventh Heaven left in my homework- pretending schedule.  I especially enjoyed Nora Walker's famous crazy dinner parties, which inevitably lead to a lot of talking over one another (obviously something I look for in welcoming a show into my lineup).

Sadly, this fall did not see Bros and Sisses (as my college roommates and I affectionately called it) return to the living rooms of people everywhere.  I guess not everyone shares my love for shows about loud, boisterous, complicated families.  I'm still upset about the cancellation.  Almost as much as I am about Off the Map.  Don't even get me started.

Post title: "7th Heaven" Theme Song
  

find the artist in you

My mom and I are planning on going to a step-by-step painting class in the next few days, which reminded me that I never posted about my previous experience at Paint Along in Nashville.  I went with Caroline and her friend from school Meredith.  I tried to take pictures after each step, so you can see how easy it is!

This is what the painting was supposed to look like.

First, we painted the background yellow and then added the white sun.

My finished product!  Not quite the original, but I was proud of myself!

Don't be afraid of these classes if you don't consider yourself an artist...the teacher guides you through every step of the painting.  In Nashville, we brought our own bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers.  Apparently, in Kentucky, you can't do that, so when Mom and I go, we'll have to buy wine there if we want it!  I would definitely recommend a BYOB painting class as a fun activity for any girls' night.  There were even a couple guys at our class in Nashville, so it might make a good date night!

fall wishlist

Since I have to dress up for work every day, I am lusting after some new great accessories to complete my fall wardrobe:

Tory Burch Amanda Hobo Bag

Nordstrom Endless Oversize Hoop Earrings

What do you have your eye on this fall?

throw ya hands up

As of tonight, Vanderbilt Homecoming 2011 is officially over.  It was a great few days, and several of my students have told me it was the best Homecoming week in their four years here, but I'd be lying if I said I was a little glad it's finished.  The committee chairs, Josh and Daniel, were so great to work with!

Some highlights from the week:

Me with Trey Songz, the first time he called me beautiful

I went in for the handshake, but he wanted a hug!

The whole Homecoming committee after Block Party with Karmin

Josh, Daniel, Karmin, and me

Post title: "Bottoms Up," by Trey Songz

look at me now

Clearly my dinner of the week idea hasn't taken off.  Or really blogging in general, for that matter.  But it's a good thing; I'm so busy loving my new life in Nashville that I haven't found the time to blog...and that's okay with me.  But I really do like my new hobby, so I figure I'll still check in once in a while, but I'm not making any big promises.

Random bits of information about my life for the past month:

1. I'm making a lot of great friends in my program (Yay!  I know everyone was worried.)  Facts about the Higher Education Administration at Peabody College c/o 2013 Cohort: there are 24 of us, only six of us are straight from undergrad; only six of us have assistantships with the Dean of Students' office.  All facts I find very interesting.  You, on the other hand, probably don't care.  Kate (on the left in both of the following pictures) falls into both of those minority categories with me.  She's my closest new friend in Nashville.

Kate, Kerrie, Greer, and me after the Taylor Swift concert.  Please excuse the random man in front...and the beer bottle.

Kate, me, and Kerrie before the concert

2. Speaking of Taylor Swift, I attended her concert last weekend, and it was surprisingly good.  Observations about my girl Tay Tay: she thinks she is a Disney princess, she acts like she has no idea she's famous and is in constant confusion about why people are applauding her, she has clearly worked on her vocals and is actually quite impressive, and she is a better role model for the thousands of little girls who were at the show clad in tutus and glow sticks than Katy Perry and the likes...so overall, I approve.  I really went to see Needtobreathe, who have been on tour with Taylor this whole year, and they didn't disappoint.  It was my sixth time seeing them in concert, and I must say, it was weird seeing them at the Bridgestone playing in front of 18,000 people as opposed to at Sigma Nu Beach Weekend my freshman year.  To solidify my groupie status, Kate and I bought their new CD, The Reckoning, and     got wristbands to attend a meet and greet.  Bear, the lead singer, pretended to remember me from Beach Weekend, which I thought was adorable, and Bo, the gorgeous guitarist "engaged me in conversation" for quite some time, according to Kate, so I was thrilled.  I also got the CD four days before it was actually released, so that was pretty cool, too.

If you don't own this CD yet, you should.  I guarantee you Needtobreathe will be one of the biggest bands in America within the next couple of years.  I'm trying really hard to convince the Music Group here to book them for Rites of Spring, Vanderbilt's music festival, in April.

There she is, pulling the ultimate princess move--a flying Romeo/Juliet balcony!

3. Taylor (different one...my actual friend) came to visit Leah and me a couple weekends ago before she jet-setted off to Nottingham for graduate school.  It was so fun to see her but bittersweet knowing she'll be gone for a year.

At the UK vs. WKU game at the Titans stadium.  I gave in and wore blue but didn't cheer a single time, don't worry.  I know where my allegiances lie.

We drove to Lynchburg to take a tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery.  So fun except ironically in a dry county...

4. My mom came to visit last week!  Sadly, I have no pictures to document it, but it was a great couple of days filled with good food, shopping, and fun with the Mannings.  I'm so glad I am a lot closer to home than when I was at Furman so we can do quick trips like that more often.

5. My life has been consumed by planning Vanderbilt's Homecoming.  It's fun but slightly overwhelming.  

Luckily, I have two awesome student co-chairs, Daniel and Josh, or "knuckleheads," as Dwayne calls them.
 

Check out our Homecoming events at http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vpb/uncategorized/homecoming-week-october-17-22.  My Morning Jacket is headlining our big concert (opening artist to come).  Since my parents are much cooler than me, they have seen MMJ in concert and assure me it is a great show.  I'm really excited that Karmin, the YouTube sensation who were recently featured on The Ellen Degeneres Show will be performing at our Friday night Block Party.  Watch this video if you haven't already...she's so good!  

Come visit me in Nashville and attend our fun Homecoming events!

Post title: "Look at Me Now" by Chris Brown, feat. Busta Rhymes

dinner of the week

Tonight I made myself a real dinner as part of my new plan to be more grown up (I mean, healthy).  This may be ambitious, but I hope to post about one meal each week.  Anyway, I made Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Tomato Sauce from The Sonoma Diet Cookbook, a baked sweet potato, and my mom's blueberry and peach crisp.  

I love The Sonoma Diet Cookbook!  It's based on the philosophy of 12 super foods: almonds, beans, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, citrus, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and whole grains.  All of the recipes include at least one of the super foods, which are all very flavorful.  The dish I made tonight had bell peppers, olive oil, and tomatoes.  It looked so pretty in the skillet!

I've been craving my mom's blueberry and peach crisp for a while this summer (ever since I made it during our July trip to Flathead Lake) and figured I'd better make it before summer escapes us.  It's a healthy take on a sweet treat (and it uses a super food).  Caroline and I couldn't wait to take a picture before we dove right in!

In other completely unrelated news, I'm very excited (nerd alert) that I figured out how to download PDFs for school to my Kindle.  I know I'm a little late to the technology party, so if you're tech savvy, please forgive me, but it's so cool that I don't have to print out 50 plus pages a week and lug them to class in a binder.  Instead, I can have them all in my cute little Kindle, and I can even highlight and take notes in it.  If only all of my textbooks were available for e-readers...

begin the begin

I'm easing into life here in Music City!  My first class isn't until Thursday night, so my daily routine includes a morning workout, a few hours at work, and then hanging out with Caroline in the apartment.  I am attempting to cook more than in the past (averaging about once a semester) and have thus far made marinated chicken and a sweet potato and tortellini with sauteed bell pepper and onion, so I'm doing better than usual.  If you have any great (and easy...and quick) recipes you'd like to share, I'm gladly accepting donations.

My supervisor, Dwayne, has been unbelievably welcoming.  I can tell we're really going to get along.  However, I'm not sure how I feel about being greeted by this...

Yes, it's a cut out foam board of my head.

...on my desk on my first day of work, but I think I can forgive him for it.  At least everyone in the office knows who I am!

I met the students I will be working most closely with yesterday at the Vanderbilt Programming Board (VPB) retreat.  For my role as the Graduate Assistant for Student Campus Events, I am the advisor to the Homecoming Committee and Vandy Fanatics.  Homecoming is fairly self-explanatory; we plan all of the university-sponsored events leading up to the big game, including a competition between student groups for the prized Commodore Cup.  Vandy Fanatics is the student organization that encourages students to support the different athletics teams.  Interestingly, the chairs for both of my committees are all guys.  It's great to see successful male students involved in campus activities; it seemed like male leadership was severely lacking at Furman.

I have definitely been experiencing information overload the last couple of days, but I know I will figure it all out soon enough.  During a meeting with the Fanatics chairs today, I mentioned the men's soccer team...which doesn't exist at Vandy.  So clearly I still have some things to learn.

Post title: "Begin the Begin," by R.E.M.