Goodbye, 2012

New Years Eve is upon us once again.  Only this time, unlike last year, I'm not missing the ball drop in order to sleep because I have a 7am flight to catch to Disney World.
For me, 2012 was the very real year of growing up.  It had it's way ups and it's way downs, but overall it was a year I'll never forget.

January: I started off 2012 with a flight right away to Disney World.  It was my second trip (the first being in 2009).  We were down there during Marathon Weekend and when I found this out during our booking, I decided to make the most of the weekends' festivities and sign up for the 5K.  I completed my first 5K within' the first week of the year, and had a blast in Disney.  Needless to say, the year started off amazingly.  The rest of January was back to school.  It was my second semester of Ashland classes and I was at a kindergarten placement.  I learned a lot about making SMARTboard lessons during this experience.

February: I don't remember much about February.  I remember Valentine's Day was horrible because Evan never said Happy Valentine's Day to me and that's all I want on the V-Day.  Honestly, I don't think it's that much to ask for of someone.

March: Saw "Spring Awakening" at the Beck Center.  It was a much smaller production than when I saw it in Detroit the first time but I loved seeing it again.  I never thought it would become one of my favorite musicals but it has.  Later in the month, my mom and I went to see Daughtry.  I loved Daughtry during my junior year of high school but haven't listened to him much since.  I mostly went to hear the songs I loved then, 2 new ones that I did like, and to make my mom happy.  My induction into Kappa Delta Pi was also this month.  I had accomplished one of my goals in college of getting initiated into an honors society.

April: Easter was spent a very untraditional way for my family of going to an Indians game.  Stephanie and I had went to the Tribe Tour at Great Northern Mall where we had signed up to play some games and win some prizes there.  Well a few weeks later I found out I was chosen for a large prize which ended up being a suite at a home game.  Since I could take 16 people, my whole family, Evan's family, Stephanie and Brenda were able to make it and we enjoyed free food and a wonderful view of the game.  And since it was quite cold that day, it was amazing to be able to go inside and not miss a thing!
Later in April, Michelle and I went to see Bowling for Soup at the Peabody downtown.  They had like 5 opening acts and by the time the band we actually wanted to see came on, it was pretty much midnight.  We were so tired and sweaty and this venue is disgusting.  There's like a creepy redroom section on the top floor.  Everything is painted black so you trip over shit.  I swear it's a fire trap.  Too many people, especially too many underagers being stupid.  Unfortunately, we only got to see them perform two songs and then we had to escape before we passed out.

May: May was where I finished one semester than instantly started a month of chaos.  I took my classes for the reading endorsement this summer and I also had to take a phonics class that for some reason I wasn't assigned to in the spring semester like everyone else.  So I had a teaching high school field experience, next to a class at the JVS then had to rush back to the college for another class.  This month was crazy but luckily there were a few awesome days I got to spend at the beach to clear my mind and make it through.

June: Plenty of beachy days.  My family vacation this year was just a weekend at Hocking Hills.  Unfortunately the evening we were there was when the earth thought it would be cool to create a land hurricane that blew through while we were trying to get to our cabin.  Branches and leaves flying everywhere, then there's a large downed tree blocking the road.  It was insanity.  We finally made it to the cabin where we discovered the storm made the water and electricity go out.  We were so sweaty from hiking earlier in the day and had to live with all the grime on us all night.  Then when we were sitting down for food finally, we find out there's a bat or a bird that's in the cabin flying around.  And since it was night and dark, we had no way to catching it or getting it out of there.  We eventually just had to leave the doors open.  We all left the next morning and luckily was able to get our money back from this experience.  I did get to see two of the caves down there and the pencil sharpener museum, so at least there was something.

July: I had my second half of the reading endorsement this month where Megan and I were tutoring 3rd going into 4th graders 5 days a week for two and half weeks.  This was an amazing experience.  I miss those kids! The day after finishing the classes, Stephanie and I set off on our roadtrip to Florida.  I ended July by finally getting to Universal Orlando and seeing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Where I FINALLY had butterbeer, FINALLY attended Hogwarts, AND Steph and I were actually chosen in Olivander's for our wand choosing.  Was NOT expecting that.

August: Our roadtrip ended in the first week of August.  I finally saw the Gulf coast where we saw wild dolphins.  We had our journey home where we stayed with Kali for a night in Springfield.  I'm pretty sure it mostly involved drinky drinks, Papa John's pizza, and RENT.  A few days after arriving home we were off again to attend LeakyCon in Chicago.  LeakyCon was AMAZING.  It started off crazy but then it got better.  Our last day in the city was spent walking up Michigan Ave to the Magnificent Mile, seeing the Bean and Milleniuum Park, and Navy Pier.  We then rushed to grab a taxi as it started to rain to rush back to the hotel and grab our luggage to catch the next train out to Naperville.  It was crazy going from the middle of nowhere Inverness to the hustle and bustle of Chicago.  It was an amazing two and a half weeks of summer on the go.  Even though I spent way too much money. XD  Oh!  I also turned 22 this month.  On the exact day we left for Chicago. <3 p="p">
September: September sucked.  This was the month of all the issues my dad was going through.  He's MUCH better now luckily.  So yeah, that's about it for September.

October: I FINALLY saw Boys Like Girls in the flesh.  This made my life seeing my 2nd favorite band the year after my first favorite.  The All American Rejects was also with them and that was pretty epic as well.

November: Haha, wow.  This was just last month and I hardly remember it.  It must have just been focusing on my 18 credit hour, 120 hour field experience.  I survived!  Oh, there was also an educators conference at Bowling Green.

December: I made it to the end!  Finished all of my classes this year with a 4.0.  So far I've just been enjoying my winter break before student teaching by reading and cleaning my room.  Leaving for my third trip to Disney World (though I suppose it's technically my fourth because we did enter property during the roadtrip but didn't go to a park) in 10 days!  Now I'm off to hopefully snarf a Big Mac because I'm oddly in the mood for one.

Have a great New Year, everyone!