What the hey, February.

Warning: Long, kind-of complain-y post ahead.  I'll understand if you skip it. 

February.

Usually, I like February.  It's a short, sweet month.  Only 28 days.  Gets right to the point.

It has Valentine's Day.  And unlike my Valentine's-day-grinch of a sister :), I like Valentine's Day.  

And I have the best Valentine ever.  He was good to me, as always.

The candy is great.  The first half of the month is filled with chocolates and hearts and what not.  THEN comes one of the most highly anticipated days of the year.  The day after Valentine's day, when they break out the Easter candy, and these little guys come forth in all their glory.  Not to be confused with their larger, creme filled, not nearly as tasty older brother.  They are consumed on a daily, and almost hourly basis once I get home from school.  It's sad.  I blame my mom. 

It celebrates the birth of two of my wonderful siblings, Lindsay and Sean.  Granted, almost every month is celebrating someone's birthday in my family. 

So usually, February is great.  Easy month.  This year, not so much.  

I think I've narrowed it down to a number of reasons. 

1. The Weather.

I'm not saying February is usually a great month weather-wise in Utah, it's not really.  It usually involves snow, and lots of it.  This year actually hasn't been too bad.  Not that much snow, and the temperatures have been relatively warm.  Upper 30s and 40s almost everyday the past couple weeks.  But, it's just been gray and gloomy.  Snow, at least, makes things look prettier.  Everything just looks.... dead.  Really dead.  Not very uplifting.

2. School.

I'll admit it, I've got senioritis.  But not the fun-loving, live it up and don't care about your grades because they don't matter senioritis.  It's more like, ugh, I can't WAIT to be done and over this and even though my grades don't matter all that much at this point, I have a guilty nagging conscience that won't let me slack off.  I don't want to care, but I can't help myself.  Needless to say, studying is painful.  

3. More School

School deserves another shout-out because there's a whole other element of school that's driving me crazy.  I've got 2 online independent study classes that I have been trying to finish these last two semesters.  One I've finished, and I've still got another one. I thought I was fine and I'd be able to finish them, by the beginning of April, when they're due.  Last year, I went into my counselor and she planned out everything that I would have to take to graduate.  I followed her plan to a T.  Then, a couple weeks ago, I get this lovely email:

You have applied for April 2010 graduation.  We commend you for your efforts to accomplish this important achievement. The purpose of this email is to inform you that you have not met at least one of your graduation requirements. Please contact your advisor IMMEDIATELY to inform him or her of your plans to complete all of your requirements by April 2010 (or you may petition to postpone your graduation date by filling out one of the attached graduation addendum forms). If we do not hear from you, you will jeopardize your April graduation status.

Our center is here to assist you with your graduation goals. Please contact us so that we can help you!

Lovely.  Just lovely.  (Oh and by the way, thank you SO much for wanting to assist me! How kind of you.  I just wish you could do it right the first time.) I figured it might be because I hadn't finished my two online classes yet.  But nope, after waiting a week for an appointment with her, my counselor lets me know that I am in fact 4 credits short.  Huh?  This was not in the plan, and I was not warned that I would end up 4 credits short two months before graduation. It turned out alright.  Luckily for me, back in high school when I was ambitious I took an English class at COC.  Those 3 credits transferred so now I'm only short one, and I'll just take one more online class to fulfill it.  

So, school-wise this month has been a stress-case.  Plus the fact that I am taking an 8 am class for the first time ever is finally catching up with me.  I don't think I'm adjusting that well.  I need a lot of sleep. And preferably from 10 pm to at least  7:30 or 8.  8 am classes don't give me that luxury. (I know, what are you gonna do, Kelli, when you have a baby?  I'll deal, that's what.)

4. The juicer.

I broke the juicer last night.  On accident.  I was drying the bowl part of it a little too fiercely.  This actually wasn't that big of a deal, just kind of annoying to find out that I couldn't just get a replacement bowl, because they don't even make them anymore.  But, on the bright side, they're sending me a brand-new juicer for free!  Hooray!  Sometimes chatting it up with the warranty-people pays off. 

The juicer.  Poor thing.  I liked our juicer.  Kirk's two guy friends actually went to Target, looked up our registry, and picked it out for us.  So cute.  :) 

5. California. 

I'm sure you know by now.  It's calling our name.  Taunting us, even, by dragging this month of February out for-e-ver. We just want to be there already.  Kirk tells me everyday "I just NEED to be there already".  I think the fact that we'll be living within very, very close proximity to the beach coupled with the fact that we are very, very far from it now has something to do with that.  

The only good thing about this month was last weekend, when my beautiful sisters and mother came to to visit us in Utah!  We got to spend a whole weekend with them, and the rest of my family members here in Utah, and it was the bright spot of the whole month.  We enjoyed some delicious birthday cake I made, ate far too many cadbury eggs (courtesy of Whitney), and got to attend my beautiful cousin's sealing last Saturday.  It was wonderful.  Only problem now is that it went by way too quickly and they're gone.  And there is still a whole week left in February.  Seriously, how long is this month??  

So there you have it.  I'm ready for February to be over this year.  March, please don't be quite so cruel.