The Eve of New Year's Eve

Today is the Eve of New Year's Eve and our plans are still up in the air. *SIGH* we were planning on having people over to our house since none of our friends seemed to have any plans. now, everyone wants to go out, including me. I swore i was over the bar scene of paying $150 for all you can drink entry to a bar where it smells like a fraternity house and you have to wait 30 minutes to order a beer, but I seem to have had a change of heart over night. It helps that I saw in the Washington Post Going Out Gurus that a bar in Dupont Circle called "Buffalo Billiards" is having business as usual, which means that there is not a cover charge, no open bar, and no drink specials. That sounds like heaven on a night like New Year's Eve. We shall see what the end result will be. Only time will tell...

So this morning I went to the doctor for a sonogram and I think it is good news. The doctor is almost positive that it is a benign lump (thank goodness) but just to be sure, I will have a biopsy next Tuesday. I am obviously not "thrilled" about having a shot of anesthetic and then a needle in my breast to take a piece of the lump, but I know that it is necessary. Just typing it makes me cringe. I am just so lucky to have such a strong support system behind me.

After my appointment, the boyfriend and I went to the gym so that we can get trim and healthy. While he played basketball, I took a Zumba class. If you know me, you know that I am not a good dancer. I am terrible at choreographed dances and was very hesitant to try the class even though I have secretly been jealous of the people who always talk about doing Zumba. Well I sucked up my pride and did the class and it was not as bad as I thought. It made me feel a lot better that it was all women and half of them were over the age of 50. It was so funny to see the grey haired grannies shaking their butts. I almost broke out in a fit of laughter when the grannies were shaking their hips and smacking their bums. What a sight! It was very hard to be self-conscious about my coordination when i had that to watch.

Tonight I will be having dinner with my dear friend Jordan. It is hard to believe that this time next month, she will be in New York for a grad program at Columbia University. I am very proud of her but my selfish side wishes she would have "settled" for University of Maryland so that she would continue to stay close to me:( Life is just full of changes! At least, it is a cheap bus ride to go visit her, which is always a plus.

Well this has turned out to be a very long post so I hope you enjoy the glimpse into my day.

A Very Bad Blogger Indeed

So I have been a very bad blogger. My last post was the end of October. Holy moly!

My new job at WeddingWire has kept me extremely busy - sorry for the short hiatus. I promise to not leave you hanging again.

Where should I Start on the updates? 1. casey got her wedding dress (which is beautiful!) 2. we are selling the boyfriend's house in the new year so we can get our own place together 3. mother bear vistied for 2 weeks and it was glorious 4. dc had a blizzard that kept us indoors for three long days - thank goodness for movies, games, and adult beverages 4. penny and lukie are doing great 5. the boyfriend and i couldn't be better and 6. I can't believe it is soon to be the end of a decade.

Nothing much is going on in the little life of vanessa. I am very nervous and anxious because i am going to the doctor tomorrow for a sonogram. My *lady doctor* found a lump and is sending me to get it checked out. I am sure that it is nothing but I still can't help but to be nervous. The "C" word is so very scary. Please keep your little fingers crossed for me to receive a clean bill of health.

The B Word

The B Word. It is very hard to say and embarrassing to talk about but it will be coming up a lot so I better get used to saying it---BUDGET! ppffewww. I said it. I just did my expenses for the past two months and it is not pretty. I am consistently spending more than I make. How is this possible? I really have no idea. After necessities like rent, prescriptions and school loans, I am left with about $1,000 to spend. And I am spending wayyyy more than that. I am so bummed and discouraged. I feel like I am very strict on what I spend my money on but it appears that I am failing. I can see that spending money on groceries, dog nail trimmings, dog food, dog vet bills, medical co-pays, make up & beauty products, gifts for birthdays, weddings, engagements, coffee breaks with friends, and grabbing lunch with co-workers can quickly add up but my paperwork is telling me that I need to really limit myself. I feel like I will have to live off of ramen noodles and tap water in order to break even. I need to be saving money but how is that possible?

Wow is all I can say. I am very discouraged. I am glad that I will be starting a new job on Monday that pays a bit more. Not to mention the fact that my work will now reflect in my pay check because if I do well, I will get bonuses and commission. Hopefully I will learn soon enough to put those straight into my ING account and forget about it.

I will be sure to let you in on some cost saving tips as I explore in the month of November.

To Vaccinate or Not? I think NOT!

Today's post is about the swine flu vaccination. I had an appointment with my endocrinologist today and asked the physician assistant about the h1n1 vaccine. I expressed my concerns and how i didn't want to get it. Her suggestion--Don't get it! She said that she personally isn't getting it because she doesn't trust it and there hasn't been any testing on the effects. This peaked my curiosity (finally someone who agrees with me about the vaccine!) so i have been researching the vaccine. I highly reccommend everyone do this before getting vaccinated just so you are educated and then you can make up your own mind.

Beauty Rest & Budget Thoughts

Believe it or not, I went to bed at 7:00 last night. I was asleep as soon as i curled up with the babies under the blankets. What is my problem? By 6:00 I could barely hold my eyelids open and I had just got home from work. wow.

I think I was just exhausted thinking about the rest of the week.

Tonight I am going home to let the babies out and then driving over to my friend's house in friendship heights for Book Club--yay! That always makes for a late evening.

Tomorrow I have to be at work at 6:45 am late in the evening. Time TBD!

Then Friday I have to come back into work at 6:30am, make it to a doc appointment at 11, and then come back into the office for a meeting at 2pm! i am hoping i will be able to escape from work a little early since i am putting in so many hours. i am obviously just counting down the days until next Friday comes and it is my last day on this job!!

The boyfriend is still in Nashville (until the end of the week). I am officially wearing my sad face. He has been putting in long hours so we haven't really communicated to each other except a few short emails and a 5 minute phone conversation. That is very tough, especially since we typically know each other's every move and thought.

I am FINALLY getting my hair done on Saturday. Hooray! It has been 4 months and my roots are shining and my hair has more split ends than I know what to do with. I sit at my desk and cut them with my desk scissors, which is probably a good indication that I need to do something about it!

Money has been tight lately, especially with Penny's recent vet bills. (*Side note: I would spend millions of dollars on her if it was necessary!) I need to evaluate my budget for the month of September and October. The boyfriend and I tracked all of our spending in August to assess where all of our dollars go but haven't since so we have no idea how we are doing on the little budget we set. I shall post about that in the near future.

I Always Feel Like, Somebody's Watching Me

Lukie Is a Little Person

Time to Let the Cat out of the Bag

It is time to celebrate! I will soon be starting a new job as a salesassociate/vendor relationship manager at Weddingwire. Hooray! :) I love weddings!!!



I am sorry for being so hush hush on the issue, but you never know who could be reading your blog;)

My last day at ABC will be Friday, October 30 and my first day at Weddingwire will be Monday, November 2nd. (I know, I know. There is no time in between the two--just call me crazy!)



I have been thinking a lot lately about Halloween and costumes. For those of you who don't know, my absolute favorite holiday is Halloween. I love any opportunity to be someone else for a day and this holiday actually encourages it:) Because I am on a budget, I think i will recycle a costume from a previous year. The costume being a Hooters girl. All i need to find are white tennis shoes and slouchy white socks.



As for the babies, the boyfriend's sister sent me cute ideas for penny and lukie's costumes.



Do you think this is fitting for Lukie?












Here is my idea for Ms. Penny Lane--she can be my partner in crime.

Get Well Soon Penny Lane

This is Ms. Penny Lane. She is the love of my life and she is sick! :(



Here is a picture I took of her this morning. Poor little girl is so lethargic. she doesn't play and she sleeps entire days and nights. She gets worse everyday. She has a vet appointment this afternoon so we will see what is going on in her little body.


The boyfriend took her to the vet today and found out she had blood in her urine. Turns out, it is an infection in her uterus. Yikes! Poor little girl had to get a shot of antibiotics and was sent home with pain killers. We will be taking her back in two weeks to make sure it is working. I will be sure to update the blog to let you know how she is getting along.

Wednesday Comes with Rain

work has been LONG today. and by long, i mean really long. it just started to rain so i am even more lethargic then when i looked out the window and saw gray skies. imagine that.

i am ready to make my way home. I am treating the boyfriend to pf changs tonight. YUMMY! he is feeling overwhelmed and is super stressed about life and all of its tasks that I told him i would cheer him up by having dinner at the chang. we have been talking about dinner there for the past two weeks so it is very exciting that we are finally going. I can't wait to fill up my belly on lettuce wrap and kung po chicken.

Speaking of chicken, i was checking out the new dogs at the shelter online today during a quick break and saw that the montgomery county (maryland) animal shelter has two chickens they are trying to find homes for. Can you believe that? A) Who has chickens in the suburbs of DC and B) Who would give up/turn their chickens in to the humane society.

In case you were wondering, Sister's wedding planning is going well. The venue (Indiana University) was available so she was able to book it (a win). She just called me and said that the photgrapher she wanted is way too expensive (a loss) but the band she wanted has her wedding date available and is very affordable (a win). Since the band was the most important thing on her list, I would say that despite the upset of the photographer, she is coming out on top. Yay for her! We also found pictures of a popcorn bar and candy bar for her to potentially have at the reception. The popcorn will be perfect for her considering her fiance's family L-O-V-E-S popcorn. I think that would be a cute gesture for them to incorporate into her big day. I will keep you updated as the planning continues...

For Your Viewing Pleasure

The Dogs in My Life....


Lukie


Penny Lane

Leela

Joey

An Instant Headache

I just returned from Trader Joe's to get some snacks to munch on at my desk. As soon as I stepped out of Trader Joe's, I smelled something awful. I smelled like something was burning. To be exact, it smelled like fruit was burning and there was a light smoke in the air. It gave me an instant headache. It wasn't until I came to the end of the block that I realized that the "burning fruit" smell was coming from a tobacco pipe. Some crazy pipe smoker was merrily walking down 25th street NW puffing smoke from his pipe. As there is a light wind today, it continued to blow in my face. In college, us sorority girls had to sit down and cross our legs if we wanted to smoke a cigarette/cigar/joint. I am not a smoker, but I always thought the rule was a bit much. I realize now that if someone is sitting down, it prevents the smoke from going into the throat of the person behind you. Get it? It would blow at their waist. I don't know about you, but that would suit me just fine considering my waist does not have any nostrils, therefore would not smell the tobacco or inhale the smoke. Could I please ask all of you smokers to be more considerate of the people walking behind you who aren't smokers and who don't want to share your tobacco usage? thanks a lot!

I will say that I have suddenly had a drastic change of heart on tobacco and its use. I have a tobacco chewing/dipping boyfriend. Yuck! I used to not think it was "so" bad. When people would say, "how do you stand that?" I would stick up for him and say that it doesn't bother me because I never notice. the boyfriend is very good about brushing his teeth after each chew/dip so as to not leave any evidence. I always stuck up for him..until now. The other night, we were sitting at home recapping the scary movie we had just watched during a triple date. The boyfriend borrowed "a tin" from our male roommate as we all sat on the couch. The boyfriend was telling a story as he picked the brown stuff from the tin and stuffed two big gobs in his lower lip. I was more than disgusted. I am not quite sure why it bothered me so much but it was quite a turn off. I used the line, *Yawn* "I am tired so I am going to head to bed." I wanted to avoid any conflict or confrontation but it put me in an instant bad mood. He is lucky that I am completely head over heels for him and adore him so much because if i didn't, that would be a habit that I would not choose to live with. It would be a big adios senor if he were anyone else. I know that sounds really harsh but I do not want those I care about have to go through cancer. Especially a cancer brought on my one's own choices, such as jaw cancer from chewing tobacco. I love him so much and love his sweet kisses and could not imagine not having those in my life. Just say no to tobacco!

The Surprise Party for the 29-Year-Old

I am so excited to finally share my little secret!!!!!

Sister and I threw our Boyfriends a joint SURPRISE party at a bar in downtown DC. It was a success!!!

here is the story: the boyfriend was super disappointed in me that i was dragging him to sister's "engagement party" at a bar "where you can play rock band" because it was HIS birthday and he wanted to spend HIS night with HIS friends. yikes! It was ugly for about 3 hours. he wasn't speaking to me and when he did open his mouth, he was expressing his disappointment and anger. All that changes and he felt like a big jerk once i FINALLY got him to the bar and all his friends were waiting there with smiles on their faces to surprise him.

Pictures will be posted soon!

Everyone had a blast singing along to our favorite songs and playing numerous games of beer pong. I could not have asked for it to go any better. A party with 30 of our favorite people---it was truly AMAZING!

Thirsty Thursday

Tonight is Survivor Night. I can't wait to see who will be picked off tonight. Last week, the boyfriend and I made bets on who would win the money and who would be kicked off each week. We were both wrong last week because two people went home. Yikes!

We will also be TIVOing Flash Forward, which is AH-MAZING! If you didn't watch it last week, you need to get online and watch the premiere. It had all the excitement and nail biting moments of a movie. The boyfriend and I are HOOKED!

A local bar is hosting a game of CLUE tonight that we are supposed to be going to but those plans are not definitive. I have to be at work at 6:30 tomorrow morning, which means getting on the metro at 5:45am! Yikes. I think I will just have to be a trooper and pull through because i really want us to have a great time tonight and head to the city after survivor for a mystery game. Something out of the ordinary and something fun for the boyfriend's birthday week!

Get excited because I have pictures. The first one is long overdue. It is Sister's beautiful engagement ring. It is so gorgeous and perfect for her.

Here are some pictures from our U2 360 Tour Concert on Tuesday night.even though the shows are selling out! Here is what I learned about the U2 concert (thank you PerezHilton.com for the information):

U2 has been touring the world for the past three months and they have yet to make a dime off of it because of the supremely costly stage set-up.
The Claw, as it is called, is their portable stage - and it costs about $750,000 to construct and transport…for every single show!
The band isn't expected to turn a profit of any kind until they finish the North American leg of their U2 360 tour in October.
Although, let's be honest, they already have heaps of money.
It's nice to know they're putting on a good show for their fans even though it might not be the cheapest endeavor.

..and last but not least, here is an adorable picture of Miss Penny Lane. She is the sleepiest and grouchiest dog in the mornings. We can't ever get her to move or even open an eyeball. If we have places to be in the early morning, we make her get up to go to the bathroom and she moves like a little old lady. She is so funny. The is how I found her the other morning when I got out of the shower.

Bono, I want to touch you!

U2 360 degree tour comes to DC tonight @ Fedex Field!






...and me and the boyfriend are going to experience it firsthand. We received FREE tickets from his sister who received them from her neighbor.





I heard Bono & the band at the inaugural concert in January 2009 so am excited to hear his little voice again.



I am really hoping to get a better view of Bono this time. It would be excellent to get some pics and maybe a hand touch. I don't think that is too much to ask for, do you? We shall see...





Other than the excitement from U2, not much is new in the brief, wonderous life of Vanessa.
Sunday is Kev's bday and we have a lot of birthday plans this week which include Clue, Story Story 1 & 2 double feature in 3D and a sushi dinner on Saturday night. Come Sunday, I do not plan to get out of the comfort of my little bed.I will need a couple of aspirins, a big glass of water, and the littel babies' bodies to keep me warm and I will just be happy as a clam. I would be really excited right now for that moment, except for the fact that sunday means it is almost monday which means the start of another work week. yikes! I will just sit here patiently and wait in taht case.

I have dived face first into blogs this week and can't get enough. Here are some NEED TO KNOW SITES. My gift to you. Enjoy my little loves!!!

Here is the list:

• Ffffound.com
• dc101blackmarket.com
• airbnb.com
• thebrokeassbride.com

...and for fun I present: awkwardfamilyphotos.com

SISTER IS ENGAGED!!!!!

A huge surprise to everyone---casey marie pierrard is engaged. wow. i am still in shock!!!! I really can not believe it. Neither can she. I have only seen pictures of her ring, as it happened last night. It is gorgeous!!!!!! you will honestly not believe your eyeballs. I will post it as soon as i see her and take one with my phone. More details will come about location, time frame, etc. this is very exciting!!!

Gotta Keep On Moving

I can't keep up. My life is passing me by at a blink of an eye.

A Quick Catch Up:

• Free Fest in Columbia, MD was AH-MAZING. The boyfriend and I saw The Hold Steady, Weezer, Jet, and The Bravery just to name a few. We also saw Flava Flave. haha:) He is so little. I could not believe my eyeballs.
• The St Louis, MO trip was a blast. The roommates are now officially Mr. & Mrs. Brian Callery. Their wedding was beautiful and so much fun. The boyfriend and I stayed an extra night and made a day of sightseeing where we went to the arch, the budweiser brewery, The City Museum (so cool!) and an expensive sushi dinner.
• I hopped off of the plane from st louis on Monday night just to hop on a place to El Lay on Tuesday morning.
• Currently, I am writing from my computer in Los Angeles, California. I am here on a business trip so that doesn't leave much time to sight see. I will say that I do not like California as much as I once did. Home is where the heart is and my heart is in The District.
• The boyfriend called today to inform me that Lukie is limping around and crying when he walks up to him. The culprit? Lukie stepped on a bee when he went out to pee (the rhyming was not on purpose--i promise!) Poor little man! I hate that i am across the country and can't spoil him rotten.
• Sister went to The Kings of Leon concert tonight with her man and I am green with envy! I wanted to go soooo bad! Why does work always seem to get in the way?

Well that is my life in a nutshell.

Where is my brain?

Today has been "one of those days." I am not sure what is going on with me but I must have left my brain at home today. I am sending emails to the wrong people and I can't even answer a simple question. I better shape up. I am hoping a little night out with the girls tonight and some rest will get help and put me in a better situation tomorrow.

The Academies Girls are hitting the town tonight for Lindsay's Birthday.





This is Lindsay---------------------------------->








My work day is about over (phew!), which is good since i am missing my brain. Tonight, I am going to relax, gossip, and drink a glass of wine or two and have a blast with my favorite ladies.

I needed to brag a bit---I got a dress for my roommate's wedding (it is in St. Louis over Labor Day weekend) at TJ MAXX yesterday for $20! I also got a new dress for the rehearsal dinner for $18. Because I got such great deals, I got quirky little black satin Paris Hilton stilettos to go with both dresses for $40. You can't beat that! All three of the new purchases are ADORABLE! I can not wait to show you the pictures after the wedding.




One more thing...I was googling around yesterday at my lunch break to get an idea of what type of dress I wanted to get for the roommate's wedding when I stumbles across this blog that rocked my little world. Check it out: www.2000dollarwedding.com. I am obviously not engaged and was not looking at the site for the wedding planning aspect but the ideas are cool for any sort of party or event. Also, the woman writing the blog is a total free spirit who is anything but traditional. I loved reading why she didn't want to be "given away" by her father at the wedding and reading other people's comments and questions to the bloggist. If you have time to kill, please check it out.



Well it is almost closing time for my little Dell, therefore I need to say goodbye. I will do my best to get one more posting on here before the weekend.

Until then, have a happy Thursday and don't leave your brain anywhere....

All About ME!

Should you want to get to know me a little better, keep reading this post!

Loves:

• The Mother & The Sister
• The Boyfriend
• Penny Lane, Lukie, & Joey aka "the babies"
• Grandparents
• Close Friends
• My Tell City Clan--love them!
• Cute Elderly Folks
• Window Shopping--I am the person who looks at and touches EVERYTHING, and then yells at the person shopping with me to look or feel whatever it is I am looking and feeling.
• Living in the District
• Live Music at bars and festivals
• Concerts and lots of them!
• Unexpected good times
• Playing Board games and winning
• Summertime
• Indie Rock
• Thursday night outings with the Girls
• Happy Hours
• Piano Bars, especially Howl at the Moon
• Wicked on Broadway
• The Doors
• Cooking
• Watching 3-D movies at the theater
• Starbucks Coffee Mug Collection

Peeves:

• People who wear north face jackets with flip flops, especially rainbows. If it is cold enough for a fleece on your mid body than it is too dang cold for exposed toes.
• Drivers when I am a pedestrian or biker, Pedestrians when I am a driver or biker , and bikers when I am running, walking, or driving.
• Monday Mornings
• Nights that are a total waste of makeup
• When people say "Y'All" and/or "fixin to." YUCK!
• When people do not know/use the proper form of words such as "there" vs "their" and "your" vs "you're." That is grade school language arts, people! Come on!
• When I find grammatical errors in books--isn't that why the author paid for an editor?
• Old turkey on my Subway Sandwich
• People who do not clean up after themselves:(
• All Bugs--especially mosquitoes and spiders
• The way my hair frizzes in the DC summer humidity
• Elderly People who feel they are entitled to everything--including cutting you in line. Isn't the fact that you are getting everything cheaper than me through the senior citizen discount enough?
• Not having enough money to buy everything I want.
• Not having enough money to travel the world.
• Playing board games and "NOT" winning.
• Winter/Snow--as a commuter, it is a big pain in the "you know what."
• LOVING a restaurant just to go back for the same wonderful entree and not having it be as good as I remembered the first time.
• People who clearly do not look in the mirror at what they're wearing and how it looks on their bodies before leaving the house and facing the public.
• Lindsay Lohan
• John Gosselin and his broken family--those poor kids!
• People who try to get on the elevator as soon as the door opens, even though people need to get off. It is common courtesy to wait until people exit the elevator before stepping foot into it.. Come one people!
• People who stand on the LEFT on the escalator. That is how you tell a tourist from a local in DC. STAND on the RIGHT so people can WALK on the LEFT.

Is it bad that I found it easier to think of my peeves than my loves?

A Case of the Mondays

It is not surprising that I am suffering from a bad case of the Mondays. Yuck! I have been swamped with work, which explains why this is my first post in a couple of weeks.

I really do not have any new updates. The boyfriend is leaving for Orlando for a work trip today and will be back for the weekend just to turn around and go back. I hate when he travels:(

So I have some news: I finally gave in and made the switch from Blackberry to Iphone yesterday. So far, so good. I just need to get my work email set up on it and I will be golden. I already have applications on it like sudoku and oregon trail:)

I splurged and got the new 16G white one that has a compass for the directionally challenged (like me) and a videocamera which takes great videos. I am so excited. The boyfriend is upset because he has the older version and is a tad bit jealous of my new white upgraded one. I don't blame him. In my defense, I have been patiently waiting--even my mother got an Iphone before I did. It was time...

This week I will be staying at sister's house with the dogs and putting in a lot of hours at work. I have a meeting in Virginia on Monday and Tuesday of next week that is logistically challenging and has a lot of moving parts to it---it is stressful and is sure to be the death of me.

As if I don't have enough on my plate, I would love to learn how to bake and decorate cakes. Look at how cute this cake is:

IMG_0738.JPG

Click here to view these pictures larger

Sweet Home Indiana

Today is the B-I-G day where we will embark on the 12 hour drive back to Indiana. The passengers include: Casey, Chad, Kevin, me, Penny, & Lukie. We are all very excited to get home and see mom--it has been too long!

Kevin is flying back from Dallas tonight before hopping in our car for the long drive. He just messaged me because his Dallas flight to Chicago was delayed, therefore he may miss his connecting flight to Baltimore! My goodness! Should this happen, we are going to have to do some serious brainstorming because we are leaving tonight at 7:30, with or without him...

Next time I write will be writing from my hometown of Tell City.

xoxo

I L-O-V-E Dogs

Look at how funny & sweet "man's best friend" can be...

Adopt Me!

Pebbles (7984500) is an adorable 6 year old Chihuahua. Pebbles is a calm, laidback girl who really enjoys touch, is tolerant and very appeasing, and is polite with other pups (though we're sure a little extra socialization would make her feel even more comfortable with them). As long as this beauty is given tons of love and a cozy couch to relax on, we know she'll be just fine in any dog loving home. Pebbles is full grown at under 15lbs.

-She is at the Washington DC Humane Society.

Wally (8106913)
Hi, I'm Wally! I'm an 8 year old Terrier mix (I'm a super mix - a "Heinz 57!"). While I was out searching for my new forever family I wandered too close to the road and got hit by a car! :( Don't worry, I’m ok. I hurt my back a little but the vet says I'm gonna be just fine. :)
I'm a very friendly, social guy! I can't walk too well on a leash while my back is healing, but I'm ALWAYS ready to snuggle! I’m generally tolerant and responsive to leadership, really I’m just a laidback, calm pup! I am not too comfortable with other dogs, just a little scared of them, but I'm sure I'd be ok as I get to meet nice new ones little by little. Come by and meet me today! Oh yes and I’m all done growing (and maybe could stand to lose a little weight!) at nearly 30lbs.

-Wally is at the Washington DC animal shelter

Please do your part and ADOPT! These poor little dogs did not have a choice in losing their homes. A shelter is not a forever home!

Monday Monday

It is Monday and I am exhausted...to say the least. Even though I slept ALL DAY yesterday, I still can't seem to get my bed off of my mind. I want to be curled up next to the dogs in my underwear reading a good book. Dang being a working woman! At least I am lucky in the fact that I now have only 2 more work days this week. Casey, Chad, Kevin and I are leaving Wednesday evening after work to make the 12 hour drive back to Indiana. Four drivers should = a pleasant drive. We will see--only time will tell! Sister has an infinite playlist and we are grabbing subway sandwiches and snacks for the road so that we can drive until our tank hits E! The babies will be traveling with us but will more than likely be sleeping the entire time. We will have 6 little bodies in Casey's SUV. I am hoping it will still be a comfortable ride. I feel like the trip to Indiana will be fun and fast because we are looking forward to seeing mom and the gang but the trip back on Sunday could be torture, especially considering the big 5 year reunion on Saturday, which means lots of drinking. Yikes!

I know I haven't blogged since last week and you are probably wondering how Vegas was---and my answer is...EXHAUSTING! I never realized how brutal the 3 hour time difference is--probably because I have always been on summer break when I traveled out West. Kevin and I had a very relaxing time and enjoyed our resort---IT WAS GORGEOUS! We made our way to the strip on two separate nights (one for sushi and one for the Bellagio buffet and the cirque de soleil show, KA). I am one that LOVES Vegas, but this trip showed me a different side of Vegas because I didn't drink and didn't party. To be honest, I did not care for Vegas at all! I was happy to be off the strip in Henderson. There were a wide variety of people there but mostly girls with tiny, tight hoochy dresses that were looking for sugar daddys and a "free" ride. Rule of thumb: If you wouldn't wear the outfit in your current city with your group of friends, you probably shouldn't wear it in Vegas. S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S!

It is Tuesday which means a couple of things:

1. The Boyfriend and I have a 70 minute run on our training schedule planned for today! BLAH!

2. It is the night before we leave for Vegas. We have a lot of packing & cleaning to do before then. It is going to be a very long evening.



Believe it or not I have been craving sushi since I had it in New York after the Broadway show. I can't get it off of my mind. Now don't get too excited--I will only eat vegetable sushi but it still counts, right? I am dreaming of it and my mouth is salivating as I type this. I turn another year older and my tastebuds change the next day. Funny how that works!:)







I have been super busy at work so haven't had a chance to catch up on the celebrity gossip but I did hear that Reggie Bush (24) and Kim Kardashian (28) called it quits. So weird because Kevin and I were talking about them last night because we thought they were engaged but I saw on people.com where she was talking about buying her own house and not moving in with Reggie until they were engaged, etc. Now we find out they were neither engaged nor going out anymore. wow!

It's the bugs or me....

So while I was trying to pick out an outfit for work this morning, I found a BIG spider web across my shirts in my closet. I looked a little closer and saw this guy looking back at me with all of its eyeballs. Needless to say I freaked out. It is a well known fact that I am terrified of spiders. The boyfriend was courageous and smashed it with a rolled up magazine and squished it on a shirt. Ick! Yes, that is a brown recluse (very poisonous). He better spray down the house or else there are going to be big problems.

Now on to details of the birthday weekend...
It was the best birthday yet! I had a great time with sister doing girls night out on Thursday and sister's date night on Friday. We also met up with friends and the boyfriends and spent some time at an irish pub drinking beer and listening to music. The NYC trip was AH-MAZING! Here is the opening shot of the stage to "Wicked." This show was amazing!!!! Yes-It brought tears to my eyes more than once and gave me and the boyfriend chill bumps. The talent is unbelievable.

Here is a sign i found in NYC. Look closely! It is a 2 in 1 cup with chicken nuggets on top and your drink on bottom. Quite hilarious. is this a good idea? I must say that I cracked up when I saw this combination.

The day we got there, we spent some time sight seeing around the Financial District and a little shop had a furry friend they called Poncho. He was adorable. If you look closely behind me, you can see a row of pictures pasted to the window. Believe it or not, they are all pictures of him wearing different outfits. He was the sweetest dog and he just chilled in the window. So adorable!!!

So I have a confession to make...i let you all down. I didn't use my camera this weekend!!! I know, I know. I was dreading breaking this news to you. The truth is that casey had her nice camera out and was taking a ton of pictures (see Facebook) and then in New York when I busted it out, the battery had died. wow! I was really upset about it. Thank goodness for the boyfriend's IPhone or else we wouldn't have any pictures to document the amazing birthday weekend in New York.

The Golden Birthday

THE GOLDEN BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to me and Sister! it is THE GOLDEN BIRTHDAY!!! I can't believe it is here already. wow!!!

Last night we went to a few bars with some girlfriends and had a low key, fun night. We went to 51st state for the music, James Hoban's for the $5 martinis, and Front Page for the dancing.
*Note: James Hoban's wouldn't serve my girlfriend Jordan because her ID was messed up (plastic was peeling off) so we left to go to our old standby--Front Page.

Tonight is sister's date night. I have a very special evening planned for us that may or may not involve a BYOB place where we can be artistic and let her creative sides shine through. We will follow up the date night by meeting the boyfriends out for a few drinks and laughs. I will be sure to have my camera ready to snap some photos. I have been very negelecful of my little camera by putting it on the back burner but today that is going to change. Get ready camera!!!

HUMP DAY 7.22.09

2 more days until the Golden Birthday! Yes, the countdown has begun.

Today has been a very fast work day, which is wonderful because this week has been going at a snail's pace. I am trying to get as much done as possible today and tomorrow because I am sure I won't be feeling so hot after the late night birthday celebration that will be happening with my girlfriends on Friday night. $5 martinis never ends with a happy morning.

In case you were having a bad day...

at least it is a better day than the armless man is having!

Here is a picture my girlfriend sent me today from our hometown. If pictures speak a thousand words, this one pretty much sums up my hometown. Enjoy!:)

Life of Pi is finally finished. If you have not picked it up and started reading it, I highly recommend that you do AND SOON.

The end of the book really ties all the events together and as soon as I finished, I HATED the ending. Once I sat around and thought about it a little bit, I came to appreciate and accept the ending. I welcome comments and feedback when you finish reading it.

No I am not Dead...Just Busy

Hello Hello Hello! I am sorry I fell off the face of the blog world but work has been non-stop and life has once again got in the way. To fill you in on the past two weeks would be a lot of work because it is such a blur. hmmm...

I have been on a sobriety kick lately and it has been surprisingly fun and easy. If you ever want to feel really good about yourself, go to a bar after happy hour has ended and the girls can't stand up or keep their eyes open. You will be the prettiest, most articulate broad around and will no doubt be showered with attention. Why must you ask did I give up the drinking. Well there are three reasons: 1) I am working so hard to get in shape 2) I am gaining unexplainable weight and didn't want the "empty" calories 3) I am saving myself for what will end up being a binge drinking extended weekend to celebrate my golden birthday (turning 24 on the 24th).

On Thursday, my girlfriends and I (including sissy) are going (weather permitting) to a free outdoor concert where a cover band plays music such as kings of leon and lady gaga. Should be a great time. Following the concert, we are going out for $5 martinis and dancing. Sounds like it could be a wild night. Friday (the actual golden birthday), Sister and I have plans (that are a secret to her) that will be followed by more drinkies, dancing, and laughter. I can't wait. I can't get too wild because i have to catch a bus with the boyfriend early Saturday morning headed for NYC to see the Broadway show "Wicked" which I have been patiently waiting for. We will be in town for their restaurant week so hopefully we will get to try some really great restaurants for a fraction of the price and get to spend some "quality time" together.

We get back to DC on Sunday night only to pack up and leave early Wednesday morning for my work trip to Vegas, which the boyfriend is coming along so we can play while we are out there. Here is a picture of our hotel in Lake Las Vegas--The Ritz Carlton.

Then, when we get back from Vegas, we will turn around and re pack for our 12 hour drive to Indiana on the following Wednesday for our 6 mile road run, mother reunion, 5 year h.s. reunion, and S Fest 2009. Wowzers!!!

Needless to say I have a lot on my plate and am a little busy bee the next couple of weeks. In saying this, do not be surprised if I am a little slow on the blog updates.

It is Tuesday and I am FINALLY getting my dang hair done. For one, it is brown because I haven't had the time or the money to get highlights and for two, there are so many split ends that I have seriously considered shaving it and starting over. 4:30 could not come soon enough! Hurry up clock! One hour and twenty minutes to go.

So mom has been asking me what i want for my birthday and i haven't really given it much thought because I CAN'T BELIEVE it is July already. Not only that, but the second week of July. Where has 2009 gone? Wow. I can't think of anything I want besides loads and loads of money, which is a BIG stresser for me right now. Between rent, school loans, bills, and the cost to just survive in a city, I am pretty much scraping by without a penny to spare. Since July is an expensive month with Meg's engagement gift, Anessia's wedding gift, Casey's Birthday Gift, Lukie's shots, extending work a night in Vegas to enjoy the city, and New York for my birthday, I am not quite sure how I am going to make this month's income stretch for all of those things. If I could be granted anything for my birthday, it would be for a larger salary and no debt. Wouldn't that be nice! sheesh.

The beach with the Lanik's was amazing---so relaxing. I got a little bit of a tan and had the opportunity to sleep in and rest. That was very much needed, indeed. Kevin and I made sure to get physical activities in, as we ran and rode bikes. On the 4th, we rode about 10 or 12 miles and the traffic was so bad that I was terrified because vehicles were driving in the bike lane and didn't even pay attention to me happening to be pedaling by. Yikes! But I made it and am here to tell all about it.

We had some great meals and even found the time and energy to grill out one night, which in my opinion, was the best meal of the trip. Kevin's dad, George is an amazing grill master and his mom, Joan is a fabulous little cook so if you put them together, you have one heck of a meal.

I took my book club book-midnight's children by salman rushdie-to the beach with all intentions of finishing it but everytime I picked it up, I got bored, which put me in a bad mood. I am not even half way through the big boring book and book club is next Tuesday, the 14th. Eeek! Kev's mom could sense my agitation so she lent me a book she just finished called, "Shoot the Moon" by Eddie Letts. She is the author of "Where the Heart Is." The book was AMAZING! seriously, I could not put it down and by the next evening, I had finished the book and was wanting more--a lot more. Between wanting to discuss this book and Kevin working hard on his fantasy football website, I made the decision to create a book website where I can blog and people can comment about books and have discussions. I just started it today and will make it my summer/fall project so hopefully it will be up and running by October/November. That is my goal.

If you get curious, you can feel free to check it out. The website is www.bookworms.yolasite.com.

I have a lot of cool ideas for it--I just have to figure out how to implement them!

I hope you all had an amazing 4th of July and had the opportunity to watch some fireworks.

Until next time...

Beach Week

Hello Hello-

It is Hump Day and I am counting down the hours (2 left) until my work day is complete and I am off to the beach to meet Kevin and his parents. His sister, Liz, and I are riding there together with her boyfriend Neil for a little beach party. I can't wait. My only request was to get a lot of tanning time and to drink coronas on the beach for the 4th of July. Hooray! I am so excited.

The babies are up there with the Lanik family so expect for some pictures to be sent of Penny & Lukie's first time at the beach.

There are a couple of things that have happened since my last post.

1.) Michael Jackson--The King of Pop--has passed. RIP MICHAEL JACKSON! I am still at a loss of words. She passed on the same day as Miss Farrah Fawcett (6.25.09)

2.) A 12 or 14 year old girl (age is disputed) was a lone survivor of a plane crash in Yemen. This is a truly miraculous story and one that brought tears to my eyeballs.

Google this story and read all about it---it is very touching.

Chicago Fun

Please enjoy these snapshots from my trip to Chicago in early June 09.

Believe it or not, the next two photos of what one can do with Legos should they have a lot of time on their hands...